Pt Reyes' Proposal to Kill Deer - Letters Needed!

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Pt. Reyes has issued a "Non-Native Deer Management Plan Draft Environmental Impact Statement" that proposes to "eradicate" all non-native deer (about 1,000 Axis and Fallow deer) by 2020 http://www.nps.gov/pore/home_mngmntdocs_exoticdeer_deis.htm

Problems cited: deer populations are expanding and are going outside of the boundary of the park and into communities of Marin; herd eats ton forage/day and are aggressive to native Tule Elk; negative impacts to area’s agricultural "permittees," such as damage to fences.

The Comment Period ends Friday, April 8th.

Individual letters are the most effective (Easy-to-Use Talking Points below), but if you absolutely cannot do, please comment through In Defense of Animals’ action page (doing both is ideal): http://ga0.org/campaign/reyesdeer.

Park’s proposed alternatives:

 

No Action, or Do Nothing

Reduce the numbers to 350 of each species by shooting

Reduce the numbers to 350 of each species by shooting & contraception

Eliminate ALL by 2020 by shooting

Eliminate ALL by 2020 by shooting & contraception. THIS IS THE PARK’S PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE

One of the Park Rangers said if there is a lot of public comment against it, the Park will amend its Preferred Alternative. This is largely an economic issue- the Park claims that it costs $300 to kill each deer and $3,000 to apply birth control.

According to a press piece below, Elliot Katz of In Defense of Animals recommends that the populations be controlled through contraception alone.

Comment letters are due April 8th (Friday). Please send to:

Superintendent

Pt Reyes National Seashore

Pt Reyes, CA 94956

e-mail comments to: ann_nelson

Contact people at Pt Reyes:

Natalie Gates- Wildlife Biologist, (415) 464-5189

John Dell’Osso- Chief of Interpretation, Public Information Officer- 464-5135.

General Park Number- 415-464-5100; Fax: 415-663-8132

Articles with quotes from In Defense of Animals (IDA): http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/news/021805_nw_deer_kill.html

http://www.twincities.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/11230213.htm

Talking Points from IDA’s web site for your comment letter:

 

Please cancel plans to kill deer in the Reyes Point National Seashore.

The exotic deer are in the park because of human action. They were placed on a private ranch for hunting purposes in the 1940's.

We now have an ethical responsibility to devise a humane and non-lethal approach to managing them. The culling plan is inhumane and further, the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) lacks evidence to indicate that the fallow and axis deer are negatively impacting the environment or other species in the park.

The DEIS lacks full and objective information about the feasibility of wildlife contraception methods. The Statement should include an analysis of the feasibility of wildlife contraception, written by experts in the field.

Further, the DEIS lacks an alternative that just considers management of the axis and fallow deer through contraception alone. The axis and fallow deer are a special and important part of the visitor experience to the National Seashore and this unique wildlife viewing opportunity should not be destroyed.

Please let me know that you will cancel this plan. Thank you for your time and attention.

Other good points:

 

Suzanne Row, In Defense of Animals: "We don't want bloodshed. We want those deer to remain a beautiful part of the park and to be managed in a humane manner."

Cindy Machado, Marin Humane Society: "Killing shouldn't be an option for population control"

Suzanne Row: "I think if the park wants to come up with a real plan to establish a natural ecosystem in that park, the first thing they have to deal with is the cows."

THANK YOU FOR TAKING ACTION!!

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