How quick do Muntjac spread?

[paul k]

I would love to see muntjac on my shooting grounds. I guess like rabbits, being considered as pests having a 'few and under control' is ok untill your crops get mauled.

They will certainly keep speading and although they are higher profile than say compared to say Harlequin Ladybirds or Edible Dormouse yes Edible (romans ate them yummy) we are going to see them most places very soon however they get there. Can't wait.

Most experts predict that muntjac will be the most numerous if not quite the most widespread deer species before very many years have passed.

Roe will always have a wider distribution, being absolutely fine in upland areas, probably ultimately occupying every 10km grid square in rural England, Wales and Scotland whereas muntjac may not do well in upland locations but will be everywhere at lower level, including many urban areas (as are roe) and at greater densities. Of course urban areas will also act as a reservoir no matter how hard they are culled in adjacent areas.

 

[User00023]

The release of both Cervus nippon - Sika deer and Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi - Chinese muntjac) without a licence is prohibited under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Section 14, as both are listed in Schedule 9 of the Act.(J35.147.w1, W5.w1.Jan01) Licences may be issued by DEFRA for the release of muntjac within the 12 "Core counties" defined by JNCC (Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Suffolk and Warwickshire).(V.w29) See: Wildlife Casualty Legislation: Release of Animals for further details including the address to write to regarding licences.

found here

This was news to me too. Cheers Mole for pointing that out.

 

[The Mole]

Thanks Iwch - saved me from having it up! It's one of the questions on the DSC1 written test.

 

[paul k]

The release of both Cervus nippon - Sika deer and Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi - Chinese muntjac) without a licence is prohibited under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Section 14, as both are listed in Schedule 9 of the Act.(J35.147.w1, W5.w1.Jan01) Licences may be issued by DEFRA for the release of muntjac within the 12 "Core counties" defined by JNCC (Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Suffolk and Warwickshire).(V.w29) See: Wildlife Casualty Legislation: Release of Animals for further details including the address to write to regarding licences.

found here

This was news to me too. Cheers Mole for pointing that out.

Thank you, I've learnt something today.

 

[stone]

Most experts predict that muntjac will be the most numerous if not quite the most widespread deer species before very many years have passed.

Roe will always have a wider distribution, being absolutely fine in upland areas, probably ultimately occupying every 10km grid square in rural England, Wales and Scotland whereas muntjac may not do well in upland locations but will be everywhere at lower level, including many urban areas (as are roe) and at greater densities. Of course urban areas will also act as a reservoir no matter how hard they are culled in adjacent areas.

i totally agree
one thing with muntjac they will tolerate most things
ie fallow , humans, dogs , noise etc etc, a lot more readily than roe
Plus they will swim by choice , where as roe are less likely, so rivers and canals will not prevent muntjac from speading/expanding like they hav roe
we hav a lot of muntjac in and around Birmingham and Coventry
quite often see them on the streets at night or disturb them in the patches of overgrown wasteland behind blocks of garages or even in overgrown back gardens where i do a bit of lamping for foxes and rabbits on some ground i hav
not sure they will adapt that well in the scottish highlands but in the borders they should flourish

 

[Coal]

2 years ago my uncle claimed that he saw a muntjac in Fife but I very much doubt it... however this post has got me thinking again... Could it be possible? If so then the place would be polluted with them by now surely?

 

[stone]

Not really coal
if the munties that were seen were males or young does then no natural reproduction may not of recurred if they were dropped there by accident out of the back of a van
so taking on board fatalities from stalkers, dog men and traffic
easily could mean no more munties in that area