Results for: Mule Deer

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion opposing a controversial plan by the Catalina Island Conservancy to kill the island’s entire population of mule deer. The conservancy argues that the deer are destroying native plants and animals and damaging the ecosystem, but the supervisors and many residents believe that other, less drastic methods should be tried first, such as mass sterilization, birth control, relocation, or expanding the deer hunting season. The board’s opposition will be included in a letter to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), which is currently reviewing a permit submitted by the conservancy to enact the program.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted against a plan to eliminate Catalina Island’s mule deer population through aerial sharpshooting, citing concerns about the method’s inhumanity and potential danger to the public. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is currently reviewing a permit application for the program, which aims to address environmental damage caused by the deer. The board recommends exploring alternative herd reduction strategies, such as sterilization, birth control, relocation, and extended hunting. While the Catalina Island Conservancy maintains that other options are ineffective, island residents and organizations widely oppose the eradication plan due to its ethical and cultural implications.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously against a plan to eradicate the invasive mule deer population on Catalina Island using helicopter-mounted sharpshooters. The Board, led by Supervisor Janice Hahn, who represents Catalina Island, cited concerns from constituents and the availability of alternative solutions such as relocation, extended hunting season, and sterilization. The Catalina Island Conservancy, which proposed the plan to protect native species, says the deer population has overgrazed vegetation and outcompeted endemic animals. However, the Board urged the Conservancy to reconsider and explore less controversial options.