WILD LIFE

New Zealand Listener, Volume 17, Issue 427, 29 August 1947, Page 5

WILD LIFE

Sir,-I strongly support R. H. Carter’s letter on deer destruction. New Zealand bush is unsuited to the maintenance of herds of deer or of any game of that type. We either keep our forest and its natural bird life or we allow deer and goats to ruin the bush by killing off the protective undergrowth, rubbing the bark off the trees, or even chewing the bark and ring-barking the trees. Farmers who are interested in the preservation of the bush know how much harm is done by domestic cattle eating and trampling the undergrowth, and the harm done by domestic animals is much less than that done by deer, because the deer rely on the forest for their food. I know of farmers who have fenced off bush to keep their stock out and to allow the undergrowth and trees a chance. Mr. Wendell Endicott is no doubt used to a different type of forest in his own country where deer could do little damage. Photographs such as Mr. Carter supplies could be taken in almost any forest in New Zealand, since goats are to be found in those where deer are absent. Why should deer be allowed to ruin our forests just because a few sportsmen like’ to take a shooting trip once a year? A live stag is a much finer sight than its poor decapitated head, and a fine native tree the most soul-satisfying sight there is. It seems only common sense that the flora and fauna indigenous to a country should be preserved and encouraged and foreign importations restricted or strictly supervised. I am a lover of animals, but think that the deer and goats in our forest country should be killed off. Venison is good food and even the young goats would provide good food for Europe’s hungry people.

DOROTHY H.

SMITH

(Auckland).