Cervidae (family)

Deer (unknown species) at Black Range, NSW

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Identification history

Cervidae (family)

14 Jun 2020

MatthewHiggins

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User's notes

I have sought advice from an ecologist friend who confirms this is evidence of deer. The tree has been abraded by the deer rubbing its antlers; there is a worn depression on the ground made by the deer while doing this.

3 comments

JackieMiles wrote:

15 Jun 2020

Hi Matthew, Not totally convinced about that. We've been getting that sort of damage to stringybarks for years before the deer turned up. I've never known what to attribute it to, but thought maybe chewing by wombats, after some nutrients in the bark perhaps - horses do the same thing, but up higher. All the deer damage I've seen has been on smaller smooth-barked species like wattles and some rainforest trees, and generally not right down to ground level as in your photo. Also they love rubbing on Persoonia linearis - they've bumped off quite a few of ours, and we've had to put guards on them, if we find the damage before they totally ringbark them.

MatthewHiggins wrote:

16 Jun 2020

Thanks Jackie for those further observations.

JackieMiles wrote:

16 Jun 2020

If you think deer are working over your bush I'd be keeping an eye out for more typical deer damage to saplings - have a look at the unidentified deer sightings Max and I have put up for typical examples. Also browsing up to heights a swampy would be unable to reach is another good sign, plus of course hoof prints and scat, although the wet ground you need for hoof prints is in short supply at the moment.

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