LEAMINGTON, ONTARIO, December 15, 2021 – To ensure the long-term health of Point Pelee National Park’s sensitive ecosystems, Parks Canada and Caldwell First Nation will be conducting a deer population reduction activity from January 6 to January 20, 2022, inclusive. Public safety is of the utmost priority to Parks Canada and therefore Point Pelee National Park will be closed to visitors during this time. The park will open again as usual on January 21, 2021.

Parks Canada is responsible for maintaining and restoring ecological health in national parks. A high population (hyperabundance) of white-tailed deer is a serious threat to forest and savannah health at Point Pelee National Park. Through over-browsing, the deer in the park are consuming and damaging native plants faster than they can regenerate, threatening the health of the Carolinian Forest, which is home to a number of species at risk such as the Red Mulberry Tree, Eastern Wood-pewee, and Eastern Foxsnake. Deer are also jeopardizing efforts to restore the Lake Erie Sand Spit Savannah, a globally rare ecosystem that supports 25% of the species at risk in the park.

Based on over 30 years of research and monitoring, a healthy and balanced environment at Point Pelee National Park would ideally support 24 to 32 deer. Point Pelee National Park is home to a large amount of leafy vegetation, experiences mild winters, and, most importantly, lacks natural predators such as wolves, bears and cougars which would have normally kept the deer population in check. It is estimated that the current deer herd population is two times higher than this target. Population reduction is reserved for situations of absolute necessity and Parks Canada has been collaborating with Caldwell First Nation for a number of years to actively manage the deer population in order to protect the park’s sensitive ecosystems.

A dedicated COVID-19 Mitigation Plan has been developed in accordance with public health guidance, and will be implemented to ensure the safety of staff and Caldwell First Nation partners.

The deer reduction activity is part of a larger, ongoing initiative to improve the health of Point Pelee National Park, including planting native Carolinian species and removing invasive plants. Throughout Canada, protected areas like Point Pelee National Park have an important role to play in helping protect and restore healthy, resilient ecosystems and contributing to the recovery of species at risk.

For more information including up-to-date information on park closures, please visit the park’s website at www.pc.gc.ca/pelee, or contact Point Pelee National Park at pelee.info@pc.gc.ca or 519-322-2365.
For information about hyperabundant species at Point Pelee National Park, please visit Hyperabundant species management – Point Pelee National Park (pc.gc.ca)

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