Fawn cruelty

The item (Feb 13) on helicopter operators in Central Otago was disturbing in that almost certainly adult hinds will be shot leaving orphaned two month old fawns to try to survive but inevitably die of starvation. The Central Otago farmer has every right to be angry. If a deer farmer took mother hinds away from fawns at two months, there would be an animal cruelty prosecution. Why then the double standard?

Has the Department of Conservation and the helicopter operator no conscience? This is not game management. There is no selective culling. It is indiscriminate killing of hinds and stags among the latter, trophy animals. It’s inhumane, unnecessary killing.

Tony Orman Marlborough