Parties demand rethink of plan to eradicate sika deer

Several Danish parties have criticised Nature and Animal Welfare Minister Christian Rabjerg Madsen after he upheld plans to eradicate sika deer in Denmark despite a new genetic study, DR reports.

The study of Danish sika deer and red deer concluded that the two species are not interbreeding in Denmark, contrary to fears following the discovery of hybrids in Ireland and Scotland.

“The government is completely wrong, and Christian Rabjerg is on a major wrong track,” said Peter Kofod, political spokesperson for the Danish People’s Party. He urged the minister to review the case and admit that the government had made a mistake.

Sika deer originally come from Asia. They were introduced to Denmark and other European countries in the early 1900s as hunting animals, alongside species such as fallow deer and pheasants.

The European Union has classified sika deer as an unwanted invasive species to be eradicated. Denmark has adopted a more lenient approach, allowing fenced deer parks to let their populations die out naturally if they prevent new calves from being born. In practice, this means the male deer must be killed.

At Jægersborg Dyrehave, a deer park where the Danish Nature Agency is responsible for the animals, the entire remaining herd will be shot this autumn. Sika deer living in the wild may be shot throughout the year.

Alternative’s nature and environment spokesperson, Torsten Gejl, said Denmark should not eradicate a species that has been present for 125 years “just on principle”. The Conservatives and the Denmark Democrats also questioned the policy.

“The argument so far has been that the sika deer is damaging Denmark’s deer population because it interbreeds,” said Kim Edberg, the Denmark Democrats’ environment spokesperson. “Now that argument is gone, the minister is left having to explain why sika deer are such a huge problem, while wolves are welcome.”

Conservative environment spokesperson Frederik Bloch Münster said the report should prompt the government to reconsider the plan. Left Alliance spokesperson Pil Christensen remained concerned that sika deer could disrupt the balance of Denmark’s original natural environment, but said the report should be reviewed by the ministry. The Social Liberals also said the findings warranted taking a step back and reconsidering Denmark’s approach.

The Conservatives, Alternative and the Danish People’s Party said they would pursue the matter through questions and parliamentary proceedings. Bloch Münster said he would question the minister because healthy animals should not be shot unless there was certainty that it was the right decision.

Rabjerg Madsen has said Denmark voted against classifying sika deer as an invasive species in the EU. He argues that the report supports Denmark’s current approach, under which the deer will eventually be eradicated but can survive longer than the EU’s deadline next summer.

“Excuse me, what the minister is saying is simply downright stupid,” Kofod said. He called the planned killings completely wrong and brutal, and said they served no purpose.