Point Pelee National Park has reopened after being closed for two weeks to reduce its deer population.
Parks Canada said a healthy and balanced park can only support 24 to 32 deer based on over 30 years of research and monitoring and the deer reduction can't be avoided if Point Pelee National Park is to stay healthy. The park added the deer population has grown to three to four times higher than what can be sustained because of several mild winters with light snow cover along with a lack of natural predators, such as wolves and bears.
Park officials said high populations of white-tailed deer are a serious threat to forest and savannah health at the park. They added deer in the park are threatening the Carolinian forest by over-grazing. The forest is home to many species at risk such as the red-headed woodpecker and the red mulberry tree.
Officials said deer are also jeopardizing park efforts to restore the Lake Erie Sandspit Savannah, a globally rare ecosystem that supports 25 per cent of the species at risk in the park.
