Warning issued about wild deer crossing Kildare roads in search of food and shelter

Motorists have been warned to be vigilant of wild deer crossing roads on the Kildare/Wicklow border looking for shelter and food.

Many parts of the deer's usual upland habitat is currently under snow making feeding on grass difficult - and temperatures are set to plunge again in coming days, according to Met Eireann.

The biggest concentration of deer in the country is believed to be in Cos Wicklow, Cork, Kerry, Tipperary and Galway.

Irish Deer Commission spokesman Damien Hannigan said: "Deer will move from higher ground to lower ground in bad weather for shelter and feeding.

"The winter months through to February are when we see most road accidents due to shorter days and reduced feeding result in deer having to go search of food bringing them into conflict with motorists as they cross roads."

The Irish Deer Commission, which promotes the management and conservation of the country's wild deer, said that data from An Garda Síochána show just over 100 road traffic accidents involving deer were recorded in 2018 alone.

But the Commission said that international trends show that only approximately 10% of accidents are actually reported so the true number is likely to be much higher.

Mr Hannigan added: "Our increasing motorway network, the increase in motorists and the increase in the planting of forestry along our roads has resulted in an increase in reports of such accidents.

"Poor signage and deer fencing, along with disturbance and illegal hunting such as deer poaching can cause road traffic accidents involving deer to increase in local areas.

"Driver behaviour can greatly reduce road traffic accidents involving by reducing their speed in areas deer frequent such as forests and mountainous areas particularly between dusk and dawn when deer are most active, dip headlights when they see a deer to avoid startling the deer.

"Never swerve as this can bring them into contact with other motorists, also when they see one deer be prepared for other deer crossing as deer often travel in groups."

If a motorist is involved in a road traffic accident with a deer, the advice is to contact the local Garda station and do not approach the deer.

The Irish Deer Commission provides a voluntary Humane Deer Dispatch scheme assisting the various agencies to reduce animal suffering where deer are injured and remain alive at the scene, potentially creating a risk to other road users.