The split between deer
“Il Sardinian deer it is a native subspecies of Sardinia and Corsica, which due to its importance requires rigorous protection. It was recently the subject of the Life 'One deer two islands' project aimed at its protection and completed in 2019. At the start of the project, the species was present in a few hundred in southern Sardinia and practically extinct in Corsica. Currently, the Sardinian-Corsican deer has increased significantly in both islands: they are estimated at 13.000 and 7.000 specimens”. This was stated by the regional councilor for the Defense of the environment, Marco Porcu, during his speech at the working table, organized in Corte by the Corsica Region, on the deer management program in the two islands, which was attended by a regional delegation also made up of Forestas.
The words of commissioner Porcu
“This expansion into man-made areas poses new problems which require careful management – added councilor Porcu – For example, preventing conflicts with man related to damage to agricultural production and public safety problems (such as road accidents). But also to avoid the spread of infectious and parasitic diseases that are important both for humans and for other domestic and wild animal species”.
Periodic monitoring
“Considering the high zootechnical vocation of the two islands, monitoring of the deer must be carried out periodically. Furthermore, a long-term management program must be implemented for better integration of animals with available environmental resources, also by making use of European resources within the same Life project. Mitigating the conflicts between the human population and deer, carrying out monitoring that allows the health status of the species to be kept under control and the implementation of new management and management solutions in collaboration with the world of research and promoting education on the role of deer in the ecosystem of the two islands in primary schools". "We must work so that the positive relationship with the animal, achieved by local communities over time, is not weakened by the emergence of new problems that risk compromising the current balance", concluded the Councilor for the Environment (source: Sardinia Region).