Re: “All eyes on Kootenay deer relocation pilot,” July 19.
The “citizen’s group” referred to in the article is the Urban Wildlife Stewardship Society, comprising deer and wildlife biologists, University of Victoria and Camosun scientists, retired wildlife managers, educators and professionals. We have followed the translocation of mule deer in the B.C. Interior with interest and conferred with the pilot organizers. All are in agreement that translocation is unlikely to be successful with deer on Vancouver Island where options for moving them are far more limited.
Deer management is not a choice between deer reduction or doing nothing. When applying for permits for any kind of deer reduction, the province requires that municipalities first do proper deer counts, engage the community, develop a plan and undertake public education. The UWSS developed a science-based, five-point action plan that meets provincial criteria.
A key element to deer management is public awareness of deer behaviour. Our 12-week public awareness campaign this summer in Oak Bay has focused on reducing human-deer conflict. We also had a public-attitudes survey developed by independent wildlife biologists. Esquimalt is also planning to circulate this survey. The UWSS is actively engaged in developing methodology for more accurate deer counts.
Deer management has, to date, been approached backward, spending excessive money without an understanding of urban-deer movement, population trends or behaviour. It’s time to get a better scientific understanding of urban deer, work together to reduce conflict and potentially reduce numbers in a non-lethal, cost-effective and sustainable way.
Kristy Kilpatrick, president
Urban Wildlife Stewardship Society
