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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 52(10)

Quantifying deer control efficiency using non-invasive genetic sampling and spatial capture–recapture

Lauren C. White https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8085-9293 A * , Erin Hill https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7642-696X B C , Nicholas Murphy B , Dave S. L. Ramsey https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4839-1245 A , Luke Woodford A , Thomas Schneider A , Ami Bennett https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1908-1475 D , Damien McMaster E , Kaustuv Dahal E and Carlo Pacioni A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, Melbourne, Vic 3084, Australia.

B Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Vic 3086, Australia.

C CSIRO, Health and Biosecurity, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

D School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic 3121, Australia.

E Biodiversity Division, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, Melbourne, Vic 3000, Australia.

* Correspondence to: lauren.white@deeca.vic.gov.au

Handling Editor: Thomas Prowse

Wildlife Research 52, WR24214 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR24214
Submitted: 26 December 2024  Accepted: 5 September 2025  Published: 25 September 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing

Abstract

Context

Sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) are the most numerous of the six species of introduced deer in Australia. They cause significant environmental damage and pose a considerable biosecurity threat to livestock. Because of their negative impacts, effort is often made by state organisations to eradicate or control sambar deer populations through aerial or ground shooting. These programs can be time-consuming and expensive and, therefore, it is imperative that their effectiveness is evaluated to ensure that program objectives are met.

Aims

In this study, we aim to quantify deer control efficiency at three different sites across Victoria, Australia; The Bogong High Plains in the Alpine National Park, Lake Tyers State Park and Snowy River National Park.

Methods

We use non-invasive genetic sampling and spatially explicit capture–recapture population modelling to estimate deer density before and after control operations.

Key results

Our results showed a reduction in deer density after control at Lake Tyers. Conversely, we were unable to definitively detect a change in deer density in the Bogong High Plains and at Snowy River National Park.

Conclusions

We hypothesise that the differing results between Lake Tyers and the other two sites may be due to the size of the control and survey areas, timing of our surveys relative to control operations, insufficient control effort, seasonal deer movement and/or re-incursion into our survey areas from the wider parks. Importantly, our results suggest that re-incursion may have a significant impact on deer control in Victoria, particularly in large parks.

Implications

To minimise re-incursion risks, control operations should be implemented in the summer months at high-altitude sites, and small, isolated populations should be targeted for eradication. At large parks, increased control frequency and intensity over time may be required if continuing reductions in deer density are desired. Our research emphasises the value of genetic sampling and capture–recapture modelling as effective techniques for wildlife monitoring.

Keywords: density estimation, DNA, invasive species, non-invasive genetic sampling, population monitoring, Rusa unicolor, scats, wildlife management.

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