A fence meant to help eradicate invasive deer on a B.C. island is instead trapping animals, leaving them exhausted and fighting for their lives.
About 35 km of netting was installed in August on Sidney Island, located between B.C.’s Mainland and Vancouver Island, as part of Parks Canada’s plan to corral deer and have marksmen complete the kill.
However, locals have found a pair of deer entangled in netting, thrashing and exhausted from trying to free themselves.
Residents jumped in to help free the deer, risking injury to cut the net and free the animals.
Paul Lalonde, a Sidney Island resident, told Global News that the fence is recycled agriculture netting, and said they have learned more deer have become entangled in the netting over the past week.
“Yesterday we had an owner come across a large buck who had managed to pin his antlers under the fence and thrashed himself to death in that spot,” he said. “It was a very bad outcome for that animal.”
Lalonde said Parks Canada staff will euthanize the deer if they come across any trapped in a netting.
“Another was freed by two other owners, I believe the day before, either on the Friday or the Saturday,” he added.
“That comes out to six animals that I know of, as of yesterday.”
Lalonde said he believes this netting is cruel to use on these animals as it puts them in a position where they get entangled.
“We need to have this netting either removed or we need to adhere to protocols, like in Banff National Park, for getting entanglement hazards out of the way until after the rut is completed and the antlers have dropped,” he said.
“At that point, they could put this netting in and it wouldn’t be such a danger or cruelty.”
Global News has reached out to Parks Canada but has not yet heard back.
The plan by Parks Canada focuses on the European Fallow Deer population. The eradication plan is to restore native vegetation, tree seedlings and shrubs.
According to access to information records, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation says a detailed project budget shows it will cost nearly $12 million to carry out eradication of the deer species, which were initially introduced there for hunting purposes in the mid-1900s.
Parks Canada and local First Nations say an estimated 300 to 900 invasive deer are decimating the native ecosystem.
In a statement on its website, Parks Canada says “methods selected for this project are globally proven and align with internationally recognized principles for ethical wildlife control.
“Parks Canada is adhering to animal handling standards set out by the Canadian Council on Animal Care. In addition, project partners consulted with the BC SPCA throughout project planning and met with the SPCA’s Manager of Wild Animal Welfare to discuss the details of the operation, continuing to share operational details with them for additional review.”
It says representatives from the BC SPCA are present during phases one and two.
Phase Two of the operation is scheduled to begin in the fall and will involve ground hunting with dogs.