Elk Spotted Outside Deer Farm Containment in South Australia

A South Australian landholder reported seeing elk on her property on the Limestone Coast in 2024. Anne Daw said she observed a bull and two cows outside containment lines of deer farms. The sighting has drawn attention to feral deer control efforts in the state.

The Feral Deer in South Australia report, released last month by the South Australian government, confirmed the elk or elk-deer hybrid observation.

Scriven said the report indicates the animals were either released intentionally or escaped from a deer farm. She added that elk can cause significant environmental damage, noting a mature male elk can eat the equivalent of seven sheep. The minister said the government is encouraging landholders to report sightings but is not planning changes to deer farming regulations.

Association of Australia vice-president Milton Stevens said escapes from deer farms are minimal. He noted that farmed deer are valuable assets and that most leakage is linked to 13 specific farms out of 48 operating in the state. Invasive Species Council chief executive Jack Gough said the sighting highlights risks from deer farm operations.

Department of Primary Industries and Regions principal biosecurity officer Brad Page said updated tagging and fencing rules introduced in 2019 should limit future escapes.