Before wolves were wiped out from the D.C. area, they helped keep deer populations in check. Could we bring them back?
NPS says deer devour seedlings and destroy the “forest of tomorrow.” Opponents say culling programs are inhumane and ineffective.
The National Park Service Will Close Some Roads In Rock Creek Park As It Reduces The Deer Population
The Park Service’s goal is to keep the deer population down to a manageable level — 15-20 deer per square mile — so the forest can thrive.
Biologists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Park Police, and local law enforcement will be shooting deer at night when the park is normally closed to manage the population.
From deer killed in Rock Creek Park.
Expect evening road closures.
It could start as early as tonight.
Wondering what the National Park Service did with the white-tailed deer that a group of sharpshooters killed in March to help thin the species’ population in Rock Creek Park?
The National Park Service killed 20 deer in Rock Creek Park last year as part of a three-year plan to cut down on the number of deer in the park.