Hilton Head White-tailed deer
Encyclopedia
Hilton Head White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus hiltonensis) are a subspecies of White-Tailed deer
indigenous to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina
. The deer live in a mainly suburban environment and have developed (according to a study) home range areas on the island.
Hilton Head White-tailed deer are listed as a "species of concern" by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
although culling of the deer is regularly approved in order to reduce the population and prevent accidents. The culls caused controversy amongst area residents and wildlife groups. Before culling was approved many of the deer were relocated across the island to spread out the herd. Sea Pines Plantation, a mixed residential and natural area, became a site of controversy when residents complained about the deer eating their shrubbery, and causing property damage. A University of Georgia
professor formulated a plan to cut the subspecies population in half, which was met with a lawsuit against the University by local wildlife groups seeking to stop the program. The professor stated that the animals lack a natural predator on the island. On August 27, 1998, an injunction by a local judge temporarily blocked any killing of the population. The South Carolina Legislature designated Sea Pines a state wildlife sanctuary in 1971, but a circuit judge agreed that culling of the deer population was legal in 1999. The South Carolina Supreme Court
concurred with the ruling and allowed the culling to proceed so long as it was regulated by the state. Subsequently there has been little opposition to the population reduction program, and after only three years the size of the herd had been reduced by 500. Deer-vehicle collisions were also reduced from 60 per year to 10 per year.
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
indigenous to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. The deer live in a mainly suburban environment and have developed (according to a study) home range areas on the island.
Hilton Head White-tailed deer are listed as a "species of concern" by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...
although culling of the deer is regularly approved in order to reduce the population and prevent accidents. The culls caused controversy amongst area residents and wildlife groups. Before culling was approved many of the deer were relocated across the island to spread out the herd. Sea Pines Plantation, a mixed residential and natural area, became a site of controversy when residents complained about the deer eating their shrubbery, and causing property damage. A University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
professor formulated a plan to cut the subspecies population in half, which was met with a lawsuit against the University by local wildlife groups seeking to stop the program. The professor stated that the animals lack a natural predator on the island. On August 27, 1998, an injunction by a local judge temporarily blocked any killing of the population. The South Carolina Legislature designated Sea Pines a state wildlife sanctuary in 1971, but a circuit judge agreed that culling of the deer population was legal in 1999. The South Carolina Supreme Court
South Carolina Supreme Court
The South Carolina Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The court is composed of a Chief Justice and four Associate Justices.-Selection of Justices:...
concurred with the ruling and allowed the culling to proceed so long as it was regulated by the state. Subsequently there has been little opposition to the population reduction program, and after only three years the size of the herd had been reduced by 500. Deer-vehicle collisions were also reduced from 60 per year to 10 per year.