A court in Lelystad has given the green light for the province of Flevoland to shoot most of the deer on the Oostvaardersplassen nature reserve, once a second appeal on the shooting rights has been heard.

Six animal rights groups and nature campaign groups had gone to court to have the cull, ordered by the province last month, annulled, arguing there are alternatives to killing so many animals.

Monday’s ruling means the forestry commission is a step nearer to pressing ahead with the cull of over 1800 deer, to reduce the reserve population to 490.

Judges still have to rule on an appeal against the decision to award a permit for the animals to be shot. That verdict is due on November 29. Only after then, can the cull go ahead.

Almost 60 percent of the reserves deer died last winter because of the shortage of food – most of which were shot by rangers to put them out of their suffering.