A controversial plan to eliminate nearly 2,000 mule deer on Catalina Island, just off the California coast from Los Angeles, could begin as early as next month unless a judge steps in.
The Catalina Island Conservancy says the deer, introduced about a century ago, are destroying rare native plants and threatening wildlife found nowhere else on Earth. The nonprofit received state approval to remove the entire herd over the next three to five years, primarily using trained ground-based marksmen.
Opponents are preparing a legal challenge, arguing the island should instead expand hunting, relocate animals or use sterilization. They also question whether removing the deer could increase wildfire danger.
Cost is also part of the debate. Conservation officials say sterilizing thousands of free-ranging deer would require repeatedly capturing and treating animals over many years, making it far more expensive and less effective than eradication. Critics say the island should invest in those humane alternatives anyway.
A podcast on hunting claims California could make $2 million by opening up the deer cull to hunters. The Wild Times Podcast claims the state instead is spending up to $15 million to hire professional hunters from New Zealand. Critics say California could make money by expanding local hunting permits instead of allowing a costly eradication plan. But so far, there’s no public proof the state is paying to fly in New Zealand hunters.
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Unless a court issues an injunction, the first phase of the deer removal is scheduled to begin in August.
