Hunters can immediately begin shooting hundreds of fallow deer in the dune area near Zandvoort, judges said on Thursday.

Noord-Holland provincial council earlier gave the green light to reducing the deer population from 3,000 to 800 over a five-year period. Animal protection group Stichting Faunabescherming had gone to court to have the cull stopped.

The province says the large deer population is damaging the dune biodiversity and that the animals cause accidents. Last year there were 61 collisions between deer and cars.

The court ruled that there are so many accidents involving deer that traffic safety is being compromised.

The judge said hunters can take out 50 animals a week until April 1, when the hunting season ends. The season resumes again in November and a second court case to finally settle the matter will take place before then.