Mayor Rhodes plans to mass slaughter deer to control overcrowding

Mayor Rhodes Antonis Kampourakis recently proposed to the city council a “controlled deer hunt” and a large number of animal sterilization programs today.

The proposal has sparked anger by environmental groups, emphasizing that the proposal is not based on scientific data and that “killing the symbol of Rhodes makes it unsustainable.”

The Fallow deer Or Dama Dama has been native to some Mediterranean countries, not just Rhodes, since the Neolitia era and the symbol of the island. The statue of the European fallow deer at the entrance to the harbor of the city of Rhodes decorates the place where the Colossus of Rhodes once stood.

The population of the European fallow deer Rhodian is similar in color, but on average less than the population in Central and Northern Europe. In 2005, the fallow deer was found to be genetically different from all other populations and have urgent protection concerns.

“What we need at this point is not to kill deer because there are too many deer, but to take seriously both the protection of species and the protection of human life and property. This is the right sensitivity and scientific method. Must be done at, “the Rhodes Environmental Association said in a statement.

It should be noted that Mayor Rhodes quoted data at the conference showing that unmanned animals, namely lambs, deer and pigs, reach 70,000 on the island. This means that the problem has grown and a solution is needed.

Details of the Rhodes Environmental Protection Association announcement:

history

Rhodes, Dama Dama deer, or Rhodes Plato are one of the island’s timeless symbols.

Rhodes is the last island in the Mediterranean to hold the population of ancient Plato.

Citing scientific and archaeological data, Rhodes’ EA states that Plato first appeared in Rhodes during the Neolithic period around the 6th century BC. Millennium. Its population seems to have reached a large number in the 1920s and 1930s. In the decades that follow, their population will decline and they are at risk of extinction from the island. In recent years, there seems to be a population recovery whose scale has not been scientifically proven.

Relationships with other livestock Forest fire

Over the last 35 years, Rhodes has burned 483,504 acres, according to data provided by several government agencies and forestry. Naturally, this catastrophe does not affect the lives and behavior of Rhodes deer.

On the other hand, the relationship between Rhodes deer and sheep and goats is competitive in terms of water, food and habitat use. An important number required for proper deer protection is 35-40 acres per head. According to the data that match each other. Many of these animals can be found in residential areas, crops, and reforestations where grazing interferes with the natural regeneration of forests. There are no provisions for this situation from public authorities.

Therefore, if you want to consider managing deer populations, you need to take into account other factors such as their habitat, well-being, and management of uninhabited sheep and goats. Of course, this should always be done with services and expert suggestions to address these issues based on a timely management plan.

today

For several years, farmers in the North Rhodes have complained about the damage done to their crops by deer (clearly justified). In a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Agriculture two months ago, some measures were proposed to solve this problem.

-To keep deer away from residential areas and crops, we will install water tanks to systematically and seamlessly transport food to areas away from crops and lowlands.
-Funding in collaboration with the Forest Department and local governments to build a 2.20 meter high fence in the area indicated by farmers to prevent deer passage and to parallel the road passages where deer passage will take place. The offer was observed.
-Mark roads in dangerous locations to reduce the risk of accidents.
-100% subsidy for farmers to build power fences.
-It was announced that the creation of four or five open deer parks is being considered, mainly in the south, away from areas of active human activity.

So far, none of the above measures have been implemented.

“And while none of the above measures have been implemented yet, there is no research on the approximate population and distribution of the species, or of course management plans, but Mayor Rhodes and the chairman of the city council have their own conclusions and the island. We made an unreasonable and exorbitant proposal to allow deer hunting in the area, “said a local environmental NGO.

“This is an unacceptable proposal that is not based on scientific data and cannot solve the problems that exist primarily due to overgrazing related to sheep and goats,” the statement adds.

On social media, some Greeks blamed the mayor of Rhodes and claimed that each hunter was allowed to kill up to 150 deer.

Εμετός και αηδία για το “ναι” του Δήμου Ρόδου να επιτραπεί το κυνήγι των προστατευομενων ελαφιών της Ρόδου για να ελέγθει ο υπερπληθισμος τους… 150 ελάφια ανά κυνηγό… Δεν θα μείνει ελάφι για δείγμα… Νιώθω ντροπή pic.twitter.com/tAbBJpAzXU

— Ίρις (@me_and_myidk) May 2, 2022

Some others claimed that this was not true.