Online petitions continue to gather signatures against the proposed eradication of Catalina Island’s mule deer population.
The state government hasn’t made a decision on the proposal.
Meanwhile, the Catalina Island Conservancy this week announced on their Facebook page that the Conservancy will hold Community Conversations on March 1, March 18, and April 8.
Space is limited to 75 individuals and requires registration three days prior to the chosen date. Email RSVP@catalinaconservancy.org or visit the Conservancy’s Facebook page.
In related news, all three candidates for the District 4 of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors have come out against the eradication: John Cruikshank, Janice Hahn, and Alex Villanueva.
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“Thank you for your inquiry. No, the application is still under review,” wrote Jordan Traverso, deputy director of Communications, Education and Outreach California Department of Fish and Wildlife, in a Feb. 28 email.
The Conservancy sees the mule deer population as a threat to the Island’s ecosystem. To remove that perceived threat, the Conservancy proposes to have sharpshooters on helicopters kill the Island’s entire mule deer population.
Opponents of the eradication question the science behind the application to eradicate the deer, the Conservancy’s deer population estimates.
News articles have been published all over the world (apparently including the Times of London). The decision on the Conservancy’s permit application will be made by Fish and Wildlife.
As for the petitions, as of 5:15 p.m., Feb. 28, a Care2 online petition against the deer eradication had gathered 67,156 signatures. The Coalition to Save Catalina Island Deer petition at Change.org has gathered 25,000 signatures. The Coalition has promised supporters a new website.
