Letter: New Chantries Fence Poses Risk to Deer Population

Published on: 12 Feb, 2021
Updated on: 13 Feb, 2021

The new fence in the Chantries. Photo Mark Insoll

From: Name and address supplied

I wish to express my horror and foreboding that soon we will witness injured deer at risk of infection or worse.

I believe the new barbed wire fencing near The Chantries campsite area poses a serious risk to the historic population of native roe deer, particularly at this time of year when the young are about to be born.

This expensive barrier was erected recently by the council to contain the cattle used for rough-grazing conservation, although the fencing it replaced had not appeared to be in disrepair.

The replacement is stock fencing topped by two strands of barbed wire. The deer have a maximum jumping height of 1.2 metres. The metal fence top wire is 1.1 metres and the babies that will be born soon are never going to be able to jump this fence safely.

Obviously, they will not understand they could go around either end of the fenced areas to access the woods and fields where they graze. This is going to lead initially to distress because they will be running up and down the fence line and inevitably they will try to jump it.

Barbed wire tears flesh in a jagged, ripping way that cuts deep, sometime through to the bone as the trapped animal struggles to escape the barbs.

Such open wounds cause not just pain and distress but at worst lingering deaths from infection of cuts that will not heal. I also fear we will see the adults injured too, because they could injure themselves trying to clear the top barbed wire.

I would be grateful if anyone who has seen this dangerous fencing could write to the council expressing their horror and join me asking them to change it before we are forced to witness these deer in distress.

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