Proposal to Remove Columbian White-Tailed Deer from Endangered Species List

The Columbian white-tailed deer, an endangered species that lives in the United States, has slowly been making a recovery since 1967 when it’s numbers were at 467.  The species joined the endangered species list in the first group of animals that are protected under the Endangered Species Act.  It joined this group in 1967 along with the Bald Eagle and the California condor.  The Columbian white-tailed deer live around the Columbia River area and have been making great progress.  As of 2015, there are now nearly 1,000 deer in this area.  The recovery of this species has been so great that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed that the group of deer move from the endangered list to the threatened list.    

Biologists and government workers added the Columbian white-tailed deer to the endangered species list because of the great reduction of deer.  This reduction was a result of habitat loss and modification by human activities.  Modification of the habitats by human activities was led by issues such as farming, logging, and commercial/residential development.  Habitat loss was due to natural causes such as floods that destroyed the deer habitats.  Since the habitat loss was so rapid and extreme, the deer population did not have a place to live and slowly started to die off.

The greatest political consideration of the problem is being aware of the deer’s struggles and successes.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service takes care of the endangered species and eventually led the species to be moved to the endangered list.  In terms of social consideration, communities and social groups are helping to reboot the deer population.  Communities throughout the Pacific Northwest are trying to do all they can to rebuild the population through refuges and controlling problems with farmers.  “The more animals in more locations, the better off overall,” stated Jackie Ferrier, a project leader for the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

The most beneficial solution to save the species is the creation of Columbian white-tailed deer refuges.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service relocates deer into the refuges to prohibit them from having too much experience with the outside environment.  The agency has also relocated elk, the animal that competes with the white-tailed deer for food.  Wildlife officials have even gone to the extreme measures of killing off coyotes that prey on deer, specifically to protect the deer.  The workers at the refuges put most of their time into rebuilding habitats and doing everything in their power to remove the species from the Endangered Species list.  Ferrier mentioned, “We do pasture work and riparian plantings because they like both grass and woody species.  We do that and invasive species control.”  Another large solution to the problem has been the completion of a new dike by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  This new dike drastically reduces the risk of the Columbia River flooding the deer refuge. 

The main possible side-effect of the return of the deer population is the new competition.  The other species in the area have been used to living without the Columbian white-tailed deer.  If the species is eventually released back into the wild, the competition for habitat and food will be greater and more difficult than it was before.   

Articles: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2015/columbian-white-tailed-deer-10-07-2015.html
http://tdn.com/news/local/u-s-fish-and-wildlife-proposes-to-downlist-columbian-white/article_36c772b2-e8a3-5279-b0fa-ab6f82a239d8.html
http://www.capitalpress.com/Oregon/20151007/columbian-white-tailed-deer-reach-recovery-milestone