California Lawmakers Call for Immediate Stop to Shooting Axis and Fallow Deer at Point Reyes National Seashore
Update: May 15, 2008
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, and U.S. Reps. Lynn Woolsey, Anna Eshoo, and George Miller -- are calling for an immediate halt to the shooting of deer at Point Reyes National Seashore.
The announcement comes following the release of a white paper by The Humane Society of The United States. Authored by John Grandy, Ph.D., The HSUS's senior vice president of wildlife and habitat protection, the paper points out that the patchwork of lands that axis and fallow deer inhabit makes eradication a virtual impossibility. At the same time, Dr. Grandy argues that an immunocontraception program can stabilize and ultimately reduce populations of both deer species.
"Marin County is paradise for many wildlife species," said Neil Trent, Executive Director of the Marin Humane Society. "The axis and fallow deer are cultural attractions for visitors and residents of West Marin and the Marin Humane Society advocates a humane, non-lethal approach to their management. We support the findings of the HSUS report and applaud our elected officials for their reasonable approach to this issue. "
Read:
Letter sent to the National Park Service by California's top elected officials (5/13/08)
HSUS Announcement (5/15/08)
Marin Humane Society Online Poll
Lawmakers call for an end to deer killing
(Marin IJ, 5/16/08)
Politicians seek end to deer shooting in park
(SF Chronicle, 5/16/08)
