A species of deer threatened by hybrid animals in the Drôme

The involuntary release of hybrid deer poses a problem in the Vercors.

Indeed, they could mix with the elaphe species, reintroduced in the massif in 1959, and eventually lead to its disappearance.

In question: the collapse of a barrier in Léoncel (Drôme) at the end of 2021, reports  

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This enclosure of the Association for the Protection of Wild Animals (Aspas) housed fallow deer, mouflons, wild boar and deer, including Sika deer.

This species would have reproduced on site with red deer, thus creating a genetically hybrid population.

However, animals of this type were spotted outside the enclosure in early 2022.

A slaughter plan

The alert was given by the president of the approved communal hunting association (Acca) of Léoncel, without anything being done.

On March 28, a wolf slaughter plan was finally launched.

"Too late," said the head of ACCA.

His concern is shared by biologist Marc Colyn, who has been studying deer and their management in France for 20 years.

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