Hunters have stopped their controversial cull of red deer in the Oostvaardersplassen nature reserve, shooting 1,745 animals ahead of the April 1 deadline, the forestry commission said.

The aim of the cull is to reduce the population of red deer to 490 and so stop hundreds of animals dying of starvation during the winter. The deer were shot between December 10, when judges gave the go ahead, and April 1.

Hunting has now been halted so as not to disturb nesting birds because it is now the breeding season, the forestry commission said. At the end of October it may resume again, depending on the numbers of deer which remain.

Most of the deer which were shot were sold for their meat but some were left to rot in the reserve to feed insects and other animals.