They look cute but these critters are 'costing Australia over $90 million a year'

Australia's growing feral deer population is costing us over $90 million a year, a new report has estimated.

The Centre For Invasive Species Solutions said it was the first time a price tag had been appended to the wild populations around the country.

In 2021, it's thought they had a $91.3 million impact on Australian agriculture and the wider population, prompting calls for action.

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"Feral deer numbers are expanding, as are their impacts," Centre chief executive Andreas Glanznig said.

"Without concerted action to control feral deer numbers the report finds that their costs are set to jump over the next few decades, with Australian agriculture bearing the brunt."

The centre's report estimated the loss to Australian agriculture in 2021 at about $69.1 million, with government funded management and research costing about $17.8 million.

The impacts on motor vehicles was estimated at about $3.3 million, with train impacts involving deer adding a further $1.2 million.

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A recent, and separate, economic analysis of the impact of two species of deer to agriculture, forestry and conservation efforts in Victoria — fallow and sambar deer — estimated their cost over the next 20 years at $1.1 billion.

Glanznig said large-scale, strategic action to meet the feral deer challenge was needed with hopeful signs on the innovation front.

"The Centre and its members, including the Australian Government and six state governments, have implemented Australia's first nationally coordinated and collaborative feral deer management research, development and engagement Program," he said.

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"Taking this national approach has turbo-charged the development and refinement of new and better tools and management practices to control feral deer and avoided the potential for duplication at a state level."

Among the tools developed in the process is a "glovebox guide" that will offer land managers advice on how to manage feral deer, including using exclusion fencing.

The guide will become available in the coming weeks.

Australia's first national feral deer action plan is also expected to be launched in the near future.

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