A court has granted Santa Catalina Island Conservancy permission to cull nearly the entire mule deer population, which threatens the local ecosystem, The Guardian reports.
According to experts, the animals are eating native shrubs, leading to an increase in invasive, flammable grasses on the island. Environmentalists fear that a major fire could destroy rare plants and threaten the entire island ecosystem.
The decision sparked protests among residents and animal rights activists. A coalition of anti-culling groups attempted to challenge the cull in court, and a petition garnered nearly 32,000 signatures.
Mule deer were introduced to Santa Catalina Island about 100 years ago for hunting. A handful of animals quickly grew into a population of approximately 2,000.
The conservation organization considered alternatives, including sterilization, fencing, and other population control methods. However, experts deemed these methods insufficient or impractical for such a large number of animals.
The plan calls for a gradual population reduction over several years. The first phase involves culling approximately 200 deer.
Earlier, the number of kakapo—the heaviest parrot on the planet—exceeded 300 for the first time in 75 years. On September 1, 90 chicks were officially added to the critically endangered population of these birds. The total number now stands at 325—a record since the rescue effort began.
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