Sika moving East into County Cork

Rescueme0007

In the gap between Christmas & New Year I had occasion to travel on the N22 toward Macroom heading west. Just outside Lissarda on the Macroom side there was the carcass of a Sika hind, which appeared to be the victim of a collision with a vehicle. I was aware that Sika had colonised as far as the Cork/Kerry county bounds and south toward Bantry Bay but had not seen evidence of them occurring further east. Has anyone further information on the distribution of Sika in the Cork/Kerry area?

JP22

No info on Cork area for you but deer do move about.

While fly fishing on the Liffey (Newbridge/Caragh stretch) I have come across individuals and small groups of one to three in the past few years. Regardless of fencing, it appears deer travel down small rivers/streams.

It’s like sheep and sheep-grids, there are always those who find ways around, over or under them.

Rescueme0007

I had a response from someone relatively local on another forum, he reckoned that Sika have been in the Lissarda area for at least fifteen years. Another friend previously had an interaction with a Sika Stag in his garden south of Durrus. At one point I travelled from Bantry to Cork frequently in the early and late hours of the day using the R585 through the Coosan gap, at no time did I see any deer (lots of badgers and foxes though). It seems likely that the Sika (particularly) use the commercial forestry plots as areas of cover to lie up during the day and forage out on the pastures during the hours of darkness. Which would facilitate their spread to wherever there is enough cover and forage to sustain them, nature abhors a void.

Barnsley

In the past few years there has been plenty sika seen in the bandon and dunmanway areas, and even as far east as kinsale. I've seen them myself in newcestown and innishannon.

Be right back

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058229330/sika-moving-east-into-county-cork

Spotted in Blarney too.

kunekunesika

42kg ?

Skinny stags at that weight.

Mellor

If you Google “Sika Deer weight”, instant result is 42kg.

Seems like it’s refer to the Japanese Sika I think that’s the original species, or maybe they got a look at that guy in Cork’s passport.

Rescueme0007

Since initiating this post I learned from my wife and daughter that in the last six months they had seen a Sika on the R600 between Five Mile Bridge and Riverstick. So clearly they are dispersing about the county. I imagine with the restrictions in place on travel over the last two years the number of Sika culled has been significantly reduced which will likely have increased the population and thus the spread. Rather hope it may lead to further stalking opportunities.😀😀