Axis Deer Spotted On Big Island

HONOLULU -- Axis deer have been confirmed in several areas on the Big Island.The State Department of Land and Natural Resources said it is teaming up with several other groups to come up with a plan to remove the animals that were spotted in Kohala, Ka'u, Kona and Mauna Kea.Agricultural officials are concerned about the animals because they can cause serious damage not only to agriculture, but also to native Hawaiian forests. Fences in place on the big island are not high enough to keep deer out, officials said.“We are now expanding our surveys of areas where deer have been reported, and are developing a response and removal plan,” said William J. Aila, DLNR chairperson. “We consider this a serious problem with far-reaching economic and environmental impacts to the agriculture industry and native ecosystems on the island."There are more than 12,000 deer in upcountry Maui that have caused extensive damage, Aila said.Aila said DLNR has enlisted the help of Department of Agriculture, Big Island Invasive Species Committee, federal natural resource management agencies, ranchers, farmers, private landowners and residents to protect the island from the deers.“We take all of these reports very seriously since there are a number of mammal species present on neighboring islands that could do serious damage to agricultural industry on this island,” said Jan Schipper, BIISC program manager.“Ranchers and farmers have already expressed their concerns to me that deer and other species that are suspected to have been illicitly introduced on the Big Island would destroy their crops and possibly introduce new diseases to our island, as has happened on other islands,” Schipper said.Axis deer were first introduced to Molokai and Oahu in 1868, Lanai in 1920, and Maui in 1959. They were never historically introduced to the island of Hawaii, and their confirmed presence on the island has grave implications for island farmers and ranchers, public health, watersheds and native Hawaiian ecosystems and species, officials said.“DLNR’s mission is to preserve and protect our natural resources, paramount of which are our watersheds and native ecosystems. We will need to take quick and effective action to prevent costly and destructive impacts on the Big Island that will last for generations, perhaps forever,” said Aila.Anyone who sees the deer is asked to call the Big Island Invasive Species hotline at 808-961-3299.