The challenges facing red deer and their management in Scotland will come under scrutiny next week.
Red deer – benefit or nuisance to our countryside? is the title of a talk taking place at the University of Aberdeen on Wednesday as part of National Science Week.
David Scott, from the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology at Banchory, will speak about the issues surrounding red deer and how science can be used to help understand more about this animal and to try to resolve some of the conflicts that exist.
The red deer is our largest land mammal and is of enormous cultural and economic importance. However, they have also been in conflict with man for a very long time, because they eat crops and trees.
Mr Scott said: “Because of increased and differing demands on our countryside, red deer are seen as both an asset and a pest and our management of them reflects this. Neighbouring landholders sometimes have conflicting policies on how many deer they want on their land.”
This talk comes at a time when there is general disquiet about the need for deer culling in the North-east.
The talk takes place at the University’s Zoology building and starts at 7.30pm. It is open to the public and admission is free.
The event is part of Aberdeen’s programme for National Science Week and has been organised by the Aberdeen branch of the BA - British Association for the Advancement of Science.
The topic of deer forms an ongoing theme running through the local National Science Week programme with a Highland Stag construction challenge taking place from March 11-20 (see www.the-ba.net/highlandstag); a guided walk in search of Roe Deer with the Forestry Commission Rangers (March 19 at the Bennachie Centre); and a “Science Snap” on deer broadcast on Northsound 1 by the Macaulay Institute (details of the Science Snaps project at www.sciencesnaps.co.uk) More information on all these National Science Week events can be found at www.the-ba.net/nsw