New Covid-19 measures in Ontario have caused Point Pelee National Park to cancel part of its annual deer cull. The park will reopen to visitors on Saturday for its usual opening hours of 7 a.m. to sunset.
Working with the Caldwell First Nation, Parks Canada staff started the annual white-tailed deer reduction on January 7 and were slated to continue through January 21. The cancellation aligns “with the intent of recent provincial measures introduced to limit the spread of COVID-19,” the park said in a news bulletin.
The park — the traditional home and territory of the Caldwell First Nation — has a sensitive forest and savannah ecosystem. It can support 24 to 32 deer, but an aerial survey in December showed upwards of 92 that overbrowse on native vegetation and avoid invasive species. The meat, hides, skulls and antlers of animals taken during the cull are used for personal, community and ceremonial purposes and provide access to traditional food sources.
Point Pelee has multiple initiatives to improve the health of its forest and savannah ecosystems, including planting native Carolinian species and removing invasive plants.
Perched on the north shore of Lake Erie, Point Pelee is preparing for its spring migratory birdwatching season. Reservations for its oTENTik sites have been delayed, with a note to check back in February, and the park hasn’t released information yet on whether its annual Festival of Birds can proceed in May.
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