Montreal can cope with high populations of white-tailed deer

After Longueuil, the city of Montreal announces that it will act to reduce the population of white-tailed deer in the east of the island, where population growth is fastest.

The technical and scientific panel's recommendations will be revealed Tuesday afternoon, along with the steps the city will take to address the problem.

Laurence Levigne Lalonde, responsible for major parks in the management team, will announce the steps the management will take.

Already, by 2021, a report commissioned by the city recommended reducing the number of animals raised to between 13 and 19.

An inventory carried out by the Ministry of Environment in February 2023 was able to count 127 deer, which means that if the recommendations of this first study are maintained, at least 108 to 114 animals will have to be slaughtered.

The number of collisions between cars and deer has increased in recent years: 126 in five years on the island, including 37 in 2022, including 5 with minor injuries, according to the Society of Quebec Automobile Insurance. SAAQ).

Deer live mainly in Pointe-aux-Prairies Natural Park, Grou Coulee and the nearby golf course, but are also found in the Anjou golf area.