Letter: Cull no long-term deer solution

Councillor questions assertion of Pennsylvania cull's success

Thank you for the deer biologists’ proposal to scientifically manage long-term our deer problem – with provincial funding help.

Just before council rejected it by a vote of 5-2, the mayor held up the Pennsylvania 2016 deer cull as a success – proof for him that culls work and one that relied on .223 close combat frangible  ammunition. It had a base cost of $80K (plus staff, police and  research).

However as the scientists pointed out, deer have a density-dependent population response. Pennsylvania’s 2008 cull directly resulted in a higher birth rate and in needing to do a cull again.

Respectfully, this is not a long-term solution.

For details on Pennsylvania’s “successful” 2016 deer cull: bit.ly/padeercull.

Eric Wood Zhelka

Councillor, Oak Bay

 

 

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