[NatureNS] Deer population problem

From: "Paul S. Boyer" <psboyer@eastlink.ca>
Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2011 07:22:17 -0400
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
References: <20110627153137.ZQ9RO.353844.root@tormtz03>
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects



--Boundary_(ID_bhkh19l6aEnKFcqZV1c0lw)
Content-type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252
Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable

It may be true that the natural environment is in smaller supply in HRM =
(though not much, if one consults a map!); but it is also true that deer =
reproduce much faster than do humans.  A doe can have two fawns per =
year.  If we observe a rapid increase in deer, it is probably the change =
in deer population which we are noticing, not so much a decrease in =
appropriate environment.

There is some important feedback involved.  It turns out that the =
disturbed sort of environment produced by human activity is far more =
congenial to deer than is the stable forest, or anything approaching =
ecological climax.

The second big feedback is that as human settlement becomes more =
concentrated, hunting declines.  There are even laws against shooting in =
human neighborhoods.  A suburban area is a perfect habitat for deer, and =
there is plenty of food, carefully tended by human homeowners.  With =
lots of food, and no hunting, the suburban or small-city environment is =
great for deer.  They just have fences and traffic to worry about.  They =
have plenty of food, and no natural predators.

Soon, if the trend continues, we will eventually see more deer killed by =
cars than by hunters.  The next stage will be debates about what to do =
about the problem, with highly emotional lines drawn.  Eventually, as in =
New Jersey, the government will have to encourage more intense hunting, =
including does, because the deer population gets completely out of hand. =
 Even then, the deer have huge refuge areas in people=92s backyards, and =
so the problem is intractable.

Deer are not =93forced into conflict with people=94: if they could think =
about it, they would really love people, and what humans do to the =
environment on their behalf.  All those humans!  They just slave away on =
shrubbery and other plantings which the deer find to be delicacies.  =
Why, tulips and pansies for a deer are like caviar.

Deer are such beautiful symbols of the wild, that it is a difficult =
adjustment for us to realize that they actually are far more common =
where humans abide, and in that respect are like pigeons or house =
sparrows or Canada Geese or rats.  It is hard to think of deer that way, =
but that=92s the way ecology works.

On 27 Jun 2011, at 7:46 PM, Helene Van Doninck wrote:

> Unfortunately natural environment is in sparse supply in HRM and deer =
are being forced into conflict with people more and more. Im not sure I =
understand the situation. Is the deer trapped there? Is there a fence? =
As long as it isnt confined it will likely find its way out but will =
have an easier time if no one forces it to run at times when the traffic =
is heavy.
>=20
> Helene
>=20
> On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 5:06 PM, David & Alison Webster =
<dwebster@glinx.com> wrote:
> Ask DNR for permission to keep it as a pet. They will likely say no =
and take it away.
> DW
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "David&Jane Schlosberg" =
<dschlosb-g@ns.sympatico.ca>
> To: "NatureNS" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
> Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 4:47 PM
>=20
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Deer in downtown Dartmouth
>=20
>=20
> Guess what, folks.  The DNR will not intervene unless the animal is =
injured.
>=20
> ----- Original Message ----- From: <soudekd@ns.sympatico.ca>
> Cc: "David&Jane Schlosberg" <dschlosb-g@ns.sympatico.ca>
> Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 4:31 PM
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Deer in downtown Dartmouth
>=20
>=20
> Hi Jane,
>  the doe has a long way to get out of the city, safely. She may need =
to be tranquilized. You may consider calling the local district DNR =
office in Waverley.
>  Dusan Soudek
>=20
> ---- David&Jane Schlosberg <dschlosb-g@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote:
> Hi.  Does anyone have any advice for us.  There is a doe in our =
neighbor's backyard, here in downtown Dartmouth (Tulip street).  We =
would like to somehow get her, unharmed of course, back to her natural =
environment.  I've left a message at Hope for Wildlife.   What should we =
do?
> Jane Schlosberg
>=20
>=20
>=20
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 10.0.1388 / Virus Database: 1513/3727 - Release Date: =
06/26/11
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> --=20
> Helene Van Doninck DVM
> Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
> RR#1 Brookfield NS B0N1C0
> 902-893-0253
> birdvet@hotmail.com
> www.cwrc.net
> Join us on May 28 for the 3rd Annual Wildlife Benefit Concert and =
Silent Auction
> Join us on June 18 for Garrett Mason with Joe Murphy and the Water =
Street Blues Band
>=20


--Boundary_(ID_bhkh19l6aEnKFcqZV1c0lw)
Content-type: text/html; charset=windows-1252
Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable

<html><head></head><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">It =
may be true that the natural environment is in smaller supply in HRM =
(though not much, if one consults a map!); but it is also true that deer =
reproduce much faster than do humans. &nbsp;A doe can have two fawns per =
year. &nbsp;If we observe a rapid increase in deer, it is probably the =
change in deer population which we are noticing, not so much a decrease =
in appropriate environment.<div><br></div><div>There is some important =
feedback involved. &nbsp;It turns out that the disturbed sort of =
environment produced by human activity is far more congenial to deer =
than is the stable forest, or anything approaching ecological =
climax.</div><div><br></div><div>The second big feedback is that as =
human settlement becomes more concentrated, hunting declines. =
&nbsp;There are even laws against shooting in human neighborhoods. =
&nbsp;A suburban area is a perfect habitat for deer, and there is plenty =
of food, carefully tended by human homeowners. &nbsp;With lots of food, =
and no hunting, the suburban or small-city environment is great for =
deer. &nbsp;They just have fences and traffic to worry about. &nbsp;They =
have plenty of food, and no natural =
predators.</div><div><br></div><div>Soon, if the trend continues, we =
will eventually see more deer killed by cars than by hunters. &nbsp;The =
next stage will be debates about what to do about the problem, =
with&nbsp;highly emotional&nbsp;lines drawn. &nbsp;Eventually, as in New =
Jersey, the government will have to encourage more intense hunting, =
including does, because the deer population gets completely out of hand. =
&nbsp;Even then, the deer have huge refuge areas in people=92s =
backyards, and so the problem is =
intractable.</div><div><br></div><div>Deer are not =93forced into =
conflict with people=94: if they could think about it, they would really =
love people, and what humans do to the environment on