Hungry deer causing headaches for Longueuil residents
Deer live in Michel-Chartrand Park without predators to keep their numbers in check
Longueuil residents say the deer population is causing headaches as the animals venture into their backyards in search of food.
Stéphanie Pelletier, who lives near Michel-Chartrand Park, said she has been getting nightly visits from deer over the past few weeks.
The deer feed on the hedges surrounding her garden, stripping the lower parts of the hedges bare. She said it will cost around $1,000 to replace them.
She said her attempts to scare the animals have been in vain because they are used to the presence of humans.
"From my balcony I yell, I make loud noises, I even threw a hockey stick to get their attention but not hurt them," she said.
She said one deer raised its head but then continued to munch on the hedges.
Longueuil city Coun. Jonathan Tabarah said there have been many complaints about the deer this winter. He said there isn't enough food in the park to satisfy the deer's appetite, and there's a health issue as well.
"The deer carry ticks on them, like other wild animals. And with a tick comes Lyme disease, so the more the deer go across the land, the more they spread Lyme disease."
He said he is passing along residents' complaints to the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks. While the park is managed by the city, the animals are under provincial jurisdiction.
The two levels of government have been in talks for years about the issue, but haven't come up with a solution.
Anaïs Gasse, a biologist with the province, said last year the government counted 32 deer in the park, which is similar to what was seen in 2012.
However, that's twice as many deer as the ministry said the park can handle, she said.
Three methods of population control are generally used on deer: displacing them, controlled hunting and sterilization.
Tabarah said that hunting should not be an option in this case, citing safety concerns of nearby residents.
The City of Longueuil says an action plan will be discussed next month by the commission on land use and sustainable development.
Based on a report by Radio-Canada's Vincent Rességuier, with files from CBC's Brennan Neill