Liwa (Lampung) – Unchecked hunting is feared to wipe out the deer population in Liwa regency within the next 10 years, residents and government officials said Monday.

"In the past, the animal could be easily spotted in droves. Now, because they are hunted every day, they are rarely sighted," Edi Susanto, a local resident, said.

He said the decreasing deer population has tipped the environmental balance as seen from the increasing incidence of predators, such as tigers, encroaching on residential areas and preying on domesticated animals.

"The government should stop poaching deer so that the ecological balance remains well-checked," Adi said as quoted by Antara news agency.

West Lampung regent Mukhlis Basri has appealed to the public to stop hunting deer but he is yet to issue a regulation. "I always remind people of the need to stop hunting now," he said. "The public has fallen victim of poaching."