Parks Canada plans to shut down Point Pelee National Park in Leamington for several days next month for a deer cull.
Parks Canada and Caldwell First Nation will be conducting the annual deer cull requiring a short-term closure of the park between Nov. 1 and Nov. 8.
The park will reopen on Nov. 9, but a second deer cull will take place between Jan. 24 and Jan. 31, with reminders for this second park closure to be shared in early January 2025.
Parks Canada is responsible for maintaining and restoring ecological health in national parks, and Caldwell First Nation's traditional territory encompasses the park.
A release from Parks Canada says a high population of white-tailed deer in Point Pelee National Park creates a serious threat to forest and savannah health and the species that depend on these habitats. It is estimated that the current deer herd population is two times higher than what the ecosystem can support.