Parks Canada has released an update on phase one of the invasive fallow deer eradication that took place on (SḰŦÁMEN) Sidney Island between December 1st and 11th.
The operation was carried out by highly trained marksmen and has been in the works since 2018.
During phase one, Parks Canada says a total of 84 deer were shot and killed on Sidney Island through a combination of nighttime ground-based hunting and daytime aerial work.
Harvesters were able to recover meat and hides from 79 of the 84 deer which were killed which garnered over 1,800 pounds of meat to be distributed to local W̱SÁNEĆ First Nations communities.
“The majority of the animals were dispatched with a single shot,” said Parks Canada.
“A second shot was taken on the remaining few to be certain of an immediate and humane death. Marksmen worked with Parks Canada staff and First Nations harvesters to ensure that the maximum amount of meat and materials were recovered.”
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Fallow deer are not native to the location and are considered invasive as well as dangerous to the ecosystem because they were brought to Sidney Island by European settlers for farming and sport hunting.
The fallow deer population got to the point where they were harming the understory of Sidney Island’s foliage, which is crucial for food and medicines to local Indigenous Peoples.
Through this operation, native black tail deer will also be killed on the island, but Parks Canada says that this species is able to swim between the islands and should naturally repopulate following the eradication.
Phase two of the operation is planned to take place sometime between fall 2024 and spring 2025 in which marksmen will once again be deployed to sweep the island and eradicate any remaining deer.
 Sidney Island between December 1st and 11th. ){kind=link}