California officials are under fire after approving a long-debated plan to eradicate the deer population on Catalina Island. The population is non-native to the island. But plans to wipe out the deer have garnered controversy, especially among conservationists.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) granted a Restoration Management Permit (RMP) to the nonprofit Catalina Island Conservancy (CIC). It was the final permission needed to wipe out the deer population over the next several years. That plan is called the "Operation Protect Catalina Island" initiative.
According to a press release, professionals will begin lethal deer removal.
"The evidence of the severity of the threat the deer pose is overwhelming, and all other alternatives have been exhausted," said Scott Morrison, director of conservation and science for The Nature Conservancy in California. "Catalina Island can have either a functional, biodiverse and resilient ecosystem or it can have deer. It cannot have both."
Mule Deer Population
Officials believe the deer are causing severe damage to the island, so eradicating them is needed to protect the ecosystem.
"This marks a pivotal moment for conservation on Catalina and in California," said Lauren Dennhardt, senior director of conservation for the Catalina Island Conservancy. "The permit clears the way for restoration work the Island has needed for decades, and it allows us to take action at a transformative scale."
"Catalina is a treasure that will rebound much like the other Channel Islands as a result of restoring native habitats and removing the pressure from invasives like mule deer," said Dennhardt. "It's one of the most important investments we can make in Catalina's future."
