Deer

Introduced species issue - Deer - Raccoon - Beaver - Squirrel - Rats - Plants - Others -
An overview of consequences

Menu: Home; Haida Gwaii; Introduced Species; RGIS; What did we learn?; Research; Publications; RGIS symposium; School curriculum; Contacts

English
Français

Deer

Sitka black-tailed deer are a sub-species of mule deer of the BC mainland. They were first introduced to the Masset area of Haida Gwaii in 1878. These deer were brought from the islands near Prince Rupert. It is believed that these first deer were hunted out in a few years.

The BC Game Commission brought 28 more deer in 1911-13 to Masset and a further 3 to Sandspit. With no predators like wolves or cougars to keep their numbers in check, the mild climate, abundant food and no browsing competitors, these deer have flourished on Haida Gwaii.

Their ability to swim has gotten the deer to all but a few, small off-shore islands of the archipelago

Deer were brought to Haida Gwaii to provide subsistence and recreational hunting opportunities.

They continue to supply these and have become an integral part of the Islands' lifestyle.

Deer also supply an aesthetic element to the Islands' landscape and are a popular tourist attraction. Who wouldn't be charmed by their big eyes and grace?

But.........

While deer continue to contribute positively to the Islands' lifestyle they also have other, less desirable consequences.

In the past 60 years, there has been a dramatic change in the forests of Haida Gwaii. Vegetation was once thick and lush. Emily Carr, when visiting Haida villages in the 1930's, wrote in her book "Klee Wyck" of the vegetation as "jumbling in a dense thicket above our heads."

Some of the favourite foods for deer are pictured above, cedar foliage, devil's club, huckleberry, salmonberry, salal as well as ferns, wild rose, skunk cabbage, crabapple seedlings, spruce seedlings and many other plants.
Why should this be a problem? Deer live in many places of the world and everything gets along ok. But when deer have no predators they can browse to the extreme. And deer are browsers, not grazers- that is they prefer shrubs rather than ground level plants such as grasses.

The photos of a forest with no deer (above left) and one that has been heavily browsed (above right) speak for themselves.

These impacts concern people in direct relation to how much people value what the deer are affecting. This, of course, is weighed against how much people value what the deer contribute.

The forest industry is very concerned about deer browse impacts and what it is doing to their incomes.

1. Deer browse on Sitka spruce and Western hemlock slows growth of seedlings by 5 to 13 years, thus slowing re-cutting plans.

2. Deer browse on Western Red cedar and cypress is so severe that young trees need to be planted in protective tubes. This adds to the cost of re-forestation. It also reduces considerably the natural regeneration of cedar species.

Haida people are concerned about Introduced species, especially deer, for their impacts on plants and animals used for traditional food, medicines, fibre and ceremonial activities.

Red cedar is central to Haida culture for monumental pieces; buildings, poles, canoes, houses and many smaller items.

Deer browse is having an impact on plants that are traditionally used for food, fibre and medicines.

Introduced species are also having an effect on ceremonial activities. Reduction in cedar growth means less for the many ceremonial products. Haida ermine are too rare now to use skins to trim ceremonial headpieces.

return to top of page