LOS ANGELES — With the Catalina Island Conservancy authorized to begin killing thousands of mule deer as soon as tomorrow, Sept. 1, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn is making a last-ditch appeal to Gov. Gavin Newsom to suspend or revoke the state permit.
“Tomorrow, these deer could begin to be killed, and once they are gone, they are gone forever. Gov. Newsom can still stop this, and I am asking him to act,” said Supervisor Hahn.
Hahn has long opposed the eradication, warning that eliminating the deer could have serious unintended consequences—including increasing wildfire risk. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Tony Marrone, who oversees fire operations on Catalina, has warned Hahn that the deer consume vegetation that would otherwise become wildfire fuel.
Hahn pointed to Santa Rosa Island, where the deer population was eliminated years ago and where a wildfire burned more than 18,000 acres earlier this year.
“Santa Rosa Island is unpopulated, but Catalina is home to nearly 4,000 people, with thousands more visitors. We should not ignore our own Fire Chief’s warning that removing the deer could increase wildfire danger,” Hahn said.
Hahn also argues that alternatives to total eradication—including maintaining and responsibly managing a smaller herd—deserve consideration. She has spoken with former Catalina Island Conservancy leaders who believe the island could sustain a managed herd of approximately 200 deer.
“I share the goal of protecting Catalina’s unique ecosystem, but protecting Catalina does not have to mean killing every deer. There are alternatives, and we should exhaust them before making an irreversible decision,” Hahn said.
A coalition opposed to the eradication has filed a lawsuit challenging the plan, with a hearing scheduled for tomorrow, Sept. 1.
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