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Unfair to blame mayor

Mankind has long ago upset the balance of nature to the extent that now the only inefficient predator of deer is motor vehicles

I do not believe that anyone in Oak Bay wants to see or have deer killed if there is a “nicer” way to deal with the overpopulation problem.

To make our mayor the scapegoat and only voice in favour of a cull, or to portray him as a butcher of deer, is plainly unjust. Mankind has long ago upset the balance of nature to the extent that now the only inefficient predator of deer is motor vehicles.

Renting a cougar or wolf is not yet an option, and even if it were, make no mistake a deer being killed by any predator is not dying “humanely” and without stress. Nor are any of the animals killed more humanely, that provide us with the meat and fish products most all of us consume on a daily basis. Here, only true vegetarians can congratulate themselves of not being complicit.

Keep in mind that populations left unchecked by natural selection with the absence of predators and with abundant food (sounds like human-beings) tend to over-populate and overrun their environment.

I believe that the current vocal critics of any form of cull will be the loudest complainers that “not enough was done soon enough”, if and when the incidence of Lyme disease increases due to our ever-growing deer population. When they or their children are faced with the fact that they have succumbed to the disease, then they will be the most militant deer-cull advocates.

Make no mistake the ticks carrying Lyme disease are present. I picked up an affected tick while walking over six- to eight-inch-high grass in a park in Victoria or on Whidby Island. I hope I was lucky enough to have averted the disease by discovering it early enough, although it was probably after a number of days. I was then able to have it removed and be treated with antibiotics.

I also wish the deer and their ticks would disappear on their own, but that is not about to happen.

Alvin Hudec

 

Oak Bay