Member for Barker Tony Pasin MP says a trial of state-of-the-art thermal camera technology is delivering encouraging results in the Limestone Coast.

While the technology has been used to count feral deer from helicopters for several years, trials indicate these cameras can assist aerial culls in real time.

In September the Federal Government funded a successful trial over two and half days of thermal-assisted aerial control of fallow and red deer in the Limestone Coast region of South Australia 10 days after the traditional (visual) aerial cull. The trial found many more deer than expected after the initial cull.

“This indicates that more resources are needed to combat this issue,” Mr Pasin said. 

Mr Pasin met with Federal Environment Minister Susan Ley in Canberra last week to talk about the need for increased funding for the aerial culling program in the Limestone Coast.

“The aerial abatement program is the most effective way to remove large numbers of deer from our landscape. Since aerial abatement programs began in the Limestone Coast in 2009 more than 12,000 deer have been removed from the region,” Mr Pasin said.