MARJORIE EMBLING wrote in protest against the suggested deer cull (HAS, Mar 11), though not in so many words.

She does not acknowledge that deer numbers are increasing dramatically and doing a tremendous amount of damage to the countryside. Odd bits of fencing will not suffice.

Numbers have increased well above sustainable levels, simply because deer have no natural enemies, man having eliminated wolves and lynx from the UK long ago.

It must be obvious that man has to take the place of wolves to maintain a balance.

It was reported several years ago that a third of all red deer newborns die of starvation in the Scottish Highlands each winter, even with the deer stalking and culling which does take place.

This illustrates what can happen when nature gets out of balance.

Eric Gendle, Middlesbrough.