Catalina's deer will be killed to restore ecosystem

California wildlife officials have approved a plan to eradicate Catalina's entire deer population as part of a broader effort to restore the island ecosystem, sparking fierce opposition from an unusual coalition of hunters and animal welfare advocates.

- BY LILA SEIDMAN

Photographs by ALLEN J. SCHABEN Los Angeles Times

A FOX watches a mule deer fawn at a feral cat feeding station on Catalina in 2023. The nonnative deer will be hunted from the ground.

Per the plan conceived by the Catalina Island Conservancy, professional hunters will shoot the island's nonnative mule deer on the ground over four to five years.

The conservancy, which owns and manages 88% of the island, says getting rid of the deer is necessary to bring back the island's unique plants — including the Catalina Island mountain mahogany, which may be the rarest tree in North America. That in turn would reduce wildfire risk, restore groundwater and allow other animals to thrive, according to the nonprofit.

"Nobody wants to kill animals. Obviously, that's not why we get into conservation work," said Lauren Dennhardt, the conservancy's senior director of conservation. "But we know what is at stake here, and it's important for us to essentially do the right thing to make sure that this island stays and gets even better for the future."

In 1930, 10 deer were brought to the island located about 22 miles off the Southern California coast as a game species — a figure that has ballooned to over 2,000 today, she said. Hunters have been allowed to take the deer, but this fall will mark the last opportunity (and it will be open only to locals).