14 DAY TRIAL // According to a study carried out by specialists working with Fera (i.e. an organization that aims to support and develop a sustainable food chain and a healthy natural environment) and the University of Durham, roe deer in Britain now constitute a threat to the country's woodlands.
This is because said herbivores recently witnessed a boom in their overall headcount and because said boom translated into more shrubs being stripped of their leaves on a regular basis.
Given the fact that shrubs provide feeding, breeding and nesting places for many of Britain's bird species, it must not come as a surprise that even ecologists are now saying that having too many roe deer running rampant in the country's woodlands threatens local biodiversity.
Daily Mail reports that, in order to make these observations concerning the negative impact roe deer have on Britain's ecosystems, the researchers investigated as many as 35 woodland fields between May and June 2011 until May and June 2012.
They found that, in areas overpopulated by roe deer, birds had significantly fewer nesting places.
As well as this, other animal species that feed on shrubs have a rather difficult time when it comes to securing their next meal.
According to the same source, Britain is presently home to six species of wild deer: roe, red, fallow, muntjac, sika and Chinese water deer.
Recent estimates have shown that, when grouped together, the aforementioned species amount to roughly two million individuals.
As far as a local organization named Deer Initiative is concerned, 20% of these animals must be killed if the country is to safeguard its woodlands and other ecosystems. In other words, around 400,000 deer must die for the sake of natural balance.
Seeing how deer also pose great threats to drivers and motorists because of their habit of crossing roads and streets without looking left and right, it is quite likely that an extended deer open season will soon make its debut.