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By Anne Lucey

Veterinary tests have identified “copper deficiency” in Killarney National Park as the probable cause of a recent distressing condition among the region’s unique Red deer.

The Department of Culture Heritage and the Gaeltacht say tests of a small number of deer have shown they are suffering from ‘enzootic ataxia’, a condition brought on by copper deficiency.

However, the diagnoses is being questioned by conservation and deer management body, the Irish Deer Commission (IDC), which first spotted unusual stumbling and staggering among the Killarney Reds this autumn, who also say that this is the first time it has occurred among wild deer in Ireland.

The commission had suspected the deer were affected by “staggers” when a stag with stunted horns was observed in a distressing condition on the fringes of the annual rut walk organised by rangers and the commission in Killarney in October.

According to the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, several of the deer carcasses sent for tests to the regional veterinary laboratory confirmed the animals were not suffering from “staggers”.

“The NPWS in observing behaviours recently in a very limited number of deer followed the appropriate veterinary protocols to ascertain the cause and sent several of the deer for tests at the Regional Veterinary Laboratory (RVL),” the department said.

“The results from these tests have confirmed that the animals were afflicted in fact by enzootic ataxia, which is a condition that can be brought on by copper deficiency. This is a natural occurring phenomenon that happens where the animals in question fail to get the necessary trace elements (copper) from their food sources.”

However, Irish Deer Commission spokesman Damien Hannigan said the Commission are consulting with leading deer veterinary experts who believe copper deficiency is no means the sole cause of the condition and may be complicated by elevated levels of other elements in the forage and soil of Killarney National Park.

“It is known there are also other conditions that produce the same clinical signs to enzootic ataxia, such as the staggers condition,” he said.

“The suggested enzootic ataxia diagnosis creates more questions than answers.”