The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has said that Sika deer in Ireland do not need to be "culled en masse".

The EU has classified the Sika deer, which is present in Ireland and parts of Europe, as an invasive species.

The species was added to the list of 'Invasive Alien Species of Union Concern' last July following a meeting of the European Commission and member states.

This is in recognition of the damage Sika deer can cause to native woodlands and other important habitats across Europe.

Sika deer

Sika deer, which are native to north-east Asia, are the most common non-native deer species in Ireland.

They are also the smallest of the three wild deer in this country.

The species was originally introduced to Ireland in 1860 by Lord Powerscourt on his estate in Co. Wicklow, with animals later moved to other parts of the country.

According to the Irish Deer Commission, the current main herds of wild Sika deer are concentrated in counties Kerry, Wicklow, Tyrone, and Fermanagh, along with "establishing herds" in Dublin, Kildare, Carlow, Cork, and Donegal.

The commission noted that Sika deer have also been found in counties Waterford, Galway, Limerick, and Wexford in recent times.

Following the classification of Sika deer as an invasive species in the EU, it was was unclear if this would lead to increased culling of the species here.

"The interdepartmental Deer Management Strategy Group is already engaged in developing measures to address the adverse effects of non-native deer populations in Ireland," a spokesperson for the NPWS told Agriland.

Deer management

The interdepartmental Deer Management Strategy Group was established in September 2022 to address increasing wild deer populations.

The group is chaired by Teddy Cashman and includes representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), NPWS, Coillte, and Teagasc.

Over 1,500 people responsed to a public consultation seeking the views of stakeholders on the management of deer in Ireland.

The main impacts of deer were considered to be on biodiversity (83%), farming and forestry (81%) and road safety (81%). The main solution put forward was deer culling.

The group published a report in December 2023 recommending a range of actions, eight of which are recommended in the short-term.

Among the main recommendations was the appointment of a national deer programme manager and the establishment of local deer management units.

In February 2025, Farm Relief Services (FRS) was awarded the role of Deer Management Strategy programme manager, following a tender process.

FRS Co-Op has established 15 deer management units (DMUs) in areas of the country that are known as hotspots for wild deer.

A DAFM spokesperson told Agriland: "While Sika deer have been classified as an invasive species, there has been a surge in numbers in all breeds, and there is a need to address this increase and so the management of Sika deer will be incorporated into the wider deer management measures.

"The National Parks and Wildlife Service have responsibility for any operational matters in relation to the licensing of culling of deer."