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--Boundary_(ID_bhkh19l6aEnKFcqZV1c0lw) Content-type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable It may be true that the natural environment is in smaller supply in HRM = (though not much, if one consults a map!); but it is also true that deer = reproduce much faster than do humans. A doe can have two fawns per = year. If we observe a rapid increase in deer, it is probably the change = in deer population which we are noticing, not so much a decrease in = appropriate environment. There is some important feedback involved. It turns out that the = disturbed sort of environment produced by human activity is far more = congenial to deer than is the stable forest, or anything approaching = ecological climax. The second big feedback is that as human settlement becomes more = concentrated, hunting declines. There are even laws against shooting in = human neighborhoods. A suburban area is a perfect habitat for deer, and = there is plenty of food, carefully tended by human homeowners. With = lots of food, and no hunting, the suburban or small-city environment is = great for deer. They just have fences and traffic to worry about. They = have plenty of food, and no natural predators. Soon, if the trend continues, we will eventually see more deer killed by = cars than by hunters. The next stage will be debates about what to do = about the problem, with highly emotional lines drawn. Eventually, as in = New Jersey, the government will have to encourage more intense hunting, = including does, because the deer population gets completely out of hand. = Even then, the deer have huge refuge areas in people=92s backyards, and = so the problem is intractable. Deer are not =93forced into conflict with people=94: if they could think = about it, they would really love people, and what humans do to the = environment on their behalf. All those humans! They just slave away on = shrubbery and other plantings which the deer find to be delicacies. = Why, tulips and pansies for a deer are like caviar. Deer are such beautiful symbols of the wild, that it is a difficult = adjustment for us to realize that they actually are far more common = where humans abide, and in that respect are like pigeons or house = sparrows or Canada Geese or rats. It is hard to think of deer that way, = but that=92s the way ecology works. On 27 Jun 2011, at 7:46 PM, Helene Van Doninck wrote: > Unfortunately natural environment is in sparse supply in HRM and deer = are being forced into conflict with people more and more. Im not sure I = understand the situation. Is the deer trapped there? Is there a fence? = As long as it isnt confined it will likely find its way out but will = have an easier time if no one forces it to run at times when the traffic = is heavy. >=20 > Helene >=20 > On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 5:06 PM, David & Alison Webster = <dwebster@glinx.com> wrote: > Ask DNR for permission to keep it as a pet. They will likely say no = and take it away. > DW > ----- Original Message ----- From: "David&Jane Schlosberg" = <dschlosb-g@ns.sympatico.ca> > To: "NatureNS" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> > Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 4:47 PM >=20 > Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Deer in downtown Dartmouth >=20 >=20 > Guess what, folks. The DNR will not intervene unless the animal is = injured. >=20 > ----- Original Message ----- From: <soudekd@ns.sympatico.ca> > Cc: "David&Jane Schlosberg" <dschlosb-g@ns.sympatico.ca> > Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 4:31 PM > Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Deer in downtown Dartmouth >=20 >=20 > Hi Jane, > the doe has a long way to get out of the city, safely. She may need = to be tranquilized. You may consider calling the local district DNR = office in Waverley. > Dusan Soudek >=20 > ---- David&Jane Schlosberg <dschlosb-g@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote: > Hi. Does anyone have any advice for us. There is a doe in our = neighbor's backyard, here in downtown Dartmouth (Tulip street). We = would like to somehow get her, unharmed of course, back to her natural = environment. I've left a message at Hope for Wildlife. What should we = do? > Jane Schlosberg >=20 >=20 >=20 > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1388 / Virus Database: 1513/3727 - Release Date: = 06/26/11 >=20 >=20 >=20 >=20 >=20 > --=20 > Helene Van Doninck DVM > Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre > RR#1 Brookfield NS B0N1C0 > 902-893-0253 > birdvet@hotmail.com > www.cwrc.net > Join us on May 28 for the 3rd Annual Wildlife Benefit Concert and = Silent Auction > Join us on June 18 for Garrett Mason with Joe Murphy and the Water = Street Blues Band >=20 --Boundary_(ID_bhkh19l6aEnKFcqZV1c0lw) Content-type: text/html; charset=windows-1252 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable <html><head></head><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; = -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">It = may be true that the natural environment is in smaller supply in HRM = (though not much, if one consults a map!); but it is also true that deer = reproduce much faster than do humans. A doe can have two fawns per = year. If we observe a rapid increase in deer, it is probably the = change in deer population which we are noticing, not so much a decrease = in appropriate environment.<div><br></div><div>There is some important = feedback involved. It turns out that the disturbed sort of = environment produced by human activity is far more congenial to deer = than is the stable forest, or anything approaching ecological = climax.</div><div><br></div><div>The second big feedback is that as = human settlement becomes more concentrated, hunting declines. = There are even laws against shooting in human neighborhoods. = A suburban area is a perfect habitat for deer, and there is plenty = of food, carefully tended by human homeowners. With lots of food, = and no hunting, the suburban or small-city environment is great for = deer. They just have fences and traffic to worry about. They = have plenty of food, and no natural = predators.</div><div><br></div><div>Soon, if the trend continues, we = will eventually see more deer killed by cars than by hunters. The = next stage will be debates about what to do about the problem, = with highly emotional lines drawn. Eventually, as in New = Jersey, the government will have to encourage more intense hunting, = including does, because the deer population gets completely out of hand. = Even then, the deer have huge refuge areas in people=92s = backyards, and so the problem is = intractable.</div><div><br></div><div>Deer are not =93forced into = conflict with people=94: if they could think about it, they would really = love people, and what humans do to the environment on