Longueuil's deer population explodes beyond sustainable size months after city decided to forego cull
It's hard to walk in Longueuil's Michel-Chartrand Park without crossing paths with a deer.
They four-hoofed creatures are all over the place and fighting for limited food. Animal rights advocates say there could be as many as 70 of them, twice as many as last fall when, under public pressure, the city decided not to euthanize 15 of them to keep the population under control
“We already have an issue of overpopulation with 15 deer,” explained Eric Dussault, the director of Sauvetage Animal Rescue, a non-profit that offered to relocate the deer targeted for euthanasia to various zoos and nature parks in Quebec.
Biologists at the city of Longueuil determined that 15 is the maximum the small park can handle given its limited supply of food, but the city's plan to cull half the herd met with province-wide outrage and some city officials even received death threats.
When the dispute spilled over last fall, a compromise was reached. The City of Longueuil and other stakeholders convened around a table and were supposed to release a report this fall on how to solve the deer issue. Neither the city nor the organization called Les Amis du Parc Michel-Chartrand answered requests for comments
In the meantime, the deer population keeps growing, and experts think they won't survive in this environment much longer. Moving them to the wild is not an option, because provincial authorities are afraid they'll spread Lyme disease. Animal Rescue says it has a better solution: sterilize the animals and feed them during their six-year life cycle to make sure they don’t starve.
“If you sterilize them, it will be a great option because you just have to feed them for six years,” explained Dussault
Until a permanent solution is found, the deer population will just keep growing and fighting for fewer and fewer ressources
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.