Government Reveals Plans to Eradicate Deer Population on Iconic Tourist Island

The California Fish and Wildlife Department approved a plan to "conduct lethal deer removal" throughout Santa Catalina Island -- a small, tourist-heavy landmass off the coast of Los Angeles. The controversial move to eradicate the entire mule deer population is part of a wider push by Catalina Island Conservancy to restore Catalina's natural ecosystem.

Mule deer are an invasive species that were first transported to the island in 1930. Ten deer were brought over by ferry from mainland California with the intention of letting locals and wealthy visitors hunt them for sport during the island's early development period. Since then, the mule deer population throughout Catalina has skyrocketed to around 2,000 — around half of the island's human population.

Catalina Island Conservancy, which owns about 88% of the entire island, argues that ridding Catalina of the invasive deer species will allow native plants and animals to thrive. The larger project, "Operation Protect Catalina Island" also revolves around introducing native plants to the environment and restoring soil and water quality. The nonprofit hopes that these steps will help boost the populations of native species like the Island Fox and Catalina Shrew.

“Nobody wants to kill animals," Lauren Dennhardt, Senior Director of Conservation at Catalina Island Conservancy told the LA Times, "but we know what’s at stake here, and it’s important for us to essentially do the right thing to make sure that this island stays and gets even better for the future.”

Many residents of Catalina Island as well as animal welfare groups have been vehemently opposed to Catalina Island Conservancy's plans to kill all of the mule deer. The initial plan, which was struck down due to overwhelming pushback, was to hunt the deer from above with armed professional hunters in helicopters. Safety concerns led the Conservancy to rethink the plan, settling on going in and hunting the deer on-foot.

The plan, if executed correctly, should take around five years to accomplish. It is expected to begin as early as September, utilizing 10 to 12 professional hunters. Hunting season across Catalina Island will remain the same, but this fall is expected to be the last time that locals will be able to hunt the mule deer. The Conservancy claims that natural hunting has not done enough to cull the deer population.

The deceased deer will be used as feed at the California Condor Recovery Program, which houses and rehabilitates the endangered bird species. Other deer carcasses will be donated to nearby tribal partners, while a small number of lucky deer will be spared, sterilized, and released back into the Catalina Island wilds.

Plan Proves Divisive

Critics of the plan call it inhumane, and while the mule deer population is not native to the island, many residents still find their presence as a natural part of island life. One outspoken critic, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone, worries that the eradication of the deer species will put the island at further risk for catastrophic wildfires. While the Catalina Island Conservancy is concerned about the deer eating native plants, the fire chief claims that they help reduce the amount of flammable vegetation which can quickly turn a small spark into a major issue.

“Catalina is a treasure that will rebound much like the other Channel Islands as a result of restoring native habitats and removing the pressure from invasives like mule deer,” Dennhardt said in a press release by the Catalina Island Conservancy, “it’s one of the most important investments we can make in Catalina’s future.”

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