Longueuil deer cull ends after 105 animals killed in urban park – Montreal
A Montreal suburb is declaring the “end of the deer saga” Thursday after completing its plan to cull a growing herd of white-tailed deer in one of its parks.
The City of Longueuil says a total of 105 deer have been killed in an operation it says was needed to restore the ecological balance in Michel-Chartrand Park.
The cull carried out with air rifles began in October after years of legal battles with animal rights groups seeking to save the animals.
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The city has said the number of white-tailed deer in the park more than tripled in recent years — from 32 in 2017 to 114 earlier this year — while the park can support around 15 deer.
Longueuil Mayor Catherine Fournier says the city needs to find a lasting solution to keep the deer population under control so another cull is not necessary.
The city has so far donated nearly 13,000 portions of deer meat to a food bank and has given the antlers and hides to Indigenous communities for making artisanal products.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
