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In a move that has sparked considerable debate, California authorities have given the green light to a controversial environmental restoration initiative aimed at removing the invasive mule deer population from Catalina Island. This decision, announced by a conservation nonprofit on Friday, involves employing sharpshooters to carry out the task.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife sanctioned the Catalina Island Conservancy’s restoration management permit on January 26. The plan’s approval marks a significant step in efforts to address ecological concerns on the island.
Originally, the plan included the use of helicopter-mounted sharpshooters. However, following substantial public opposition and descriptions of the method as akin to a “violent and ugly” mass killing, the approach was modified. Critics were particularly alarmed by the prospect of “bullets raining down” from the sky.
Responding to public sentiment, the nonprofit organization stated, “Since October 2023, there has been a considerable outcry against aerial shooting of deer. As a result, the Conservancy has shifted to utilizing ground-based specialists. These professionals, equipped with rifles, will operate under rigorous safety protocols to ensure controlled and safe execution of the plan.”
Under the new permit, only trained personnel will perform the deer removal, and this process is expected to unfold over several years. The shift to ground teams aims to address both environmental and public concerns while maintaining the integrity of the island’s ecosystem.
Under the sweeping, multi-decade initiative, dubbed “Operation Protect Catalina Island,” deer would then be harvested and used as meat for the California Condor Recovery Program, helping provide a natural food source for the endangered birds, the nonprofit said.
It remains unclear exactly how many deer will be removed, as populations fluctuate between 500 and 1,800, according to the Conservancy.
An aerial view shows Catalina Island’s harbor and rugged hills off the Southern California coast. (Gabriel Bouys/AFP via Getty Images)
The invasive deer, introduced in the early 1930s, “have no natural predators, so their population goes through extreme boom and bust cycles,” the Conservancy said.
Over the years, they have reportedly decimated native vegetation, contributing to soil erosion, water loss, increased wildfire risks and reduced resources for native species.
Protesters with the Coalition Against the Slaughter of Catalina Deer hold signs as island visitors arrive on the Catalina Express boat in Avalon, Catalina Island, Monday, Oct. 30, 2023. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
“The evidence of the severity of the threat the deer pose is overwhelming, and all other alternatives have been exhausted,” Scott Morrison, director of conservation and science for The Nature Conservancy in California, said in a statement. “Catalina Island can have either a functional, biodiverse and resilient ecosystem or it can have deer. It cannot have both.”
The organization said the initiative will also include reintroducing native, fire-resistant plant species as officials seek to reduce escalating wildfire risks on the island.
It remains unclear when the plan to remove the deer will be implemented.