First Video of 2018 Aerial Culling of Sambar in Victorian National Parks

Photo created to represent cull due it low resolution video to create header image.

First images of helicopter sambar culling in the Victorian National Parks has been released this week.

The video has sparked debate over the process and the cost to taxpayers.

The video was shared by Steve Bojanic whom you can hear through the video. The video displays how ineffective and costly these helicopter culls are going to be in parts of the National Park that are thick with vegetation.

Its estimated that an individual animal could cost taxpayers more than $2000. The bill for this helicopter cull is going to be enormous.

Hunters are calling for Game Management Authority Victoria to follow their own published advice when it comes to ethical hunting and ‘fair chase’.

With no carcass retrieval, their own guidelines are not even considered.

Australian Deer Association spokesman Barry Howlett said the rationale behind aerial culling needed to be clear and measures clearly defined. “Our clear expectation is that there will be robust monitoring to ensure that any aerial culling is both humane and necessary,” he said.

The aerial cull will target sambar, red and fallow deer in the Mt Pinnibar, Mt Feathertop areas and west of the Mount Buffalo Rd.