Feral deer fatten up on rare, threatened alpine plants

Feral deer are chomping their way through rare and threatened alpine plants. (PR HANDOUT IMAGE PHOTO)

Feral deer are making a meal of rare and threatened plants in Australia's protected high country, and may also be spreading exotic weeds.

Scientists have analysed poo samples from introduced sambar deer that graze on the Bogong High Plains in the Alpine National Park northeast of Melbourne.