Deer have been spotted all over Staten Island over the past few years. First in the more wooded areas of the South Shore near the Charleston shopping center, then down in Prince's Bay by Mount Loretto. Recently, they've  been found as far north as South Beach and even up high in Todt Hill!

The abundance of deer has been a heated debate topic among islanders. Many accidents have been caused by deer unexpectedly darting out onto the roads. Others worry about the effects overpopulation would have on the environment and the possibility of deer carried diseases spreading to humans. 

The question remains- How do we control the deer population in the most humane and efficient way? Birth control may be the answer. This idea is not without it's challenges. Officials still don't know just how many deer populate Staten Island but the department of sanitation reported 34 found dead on the roads in 2013. In order to find out the acurate number, the parks department is using technology attached to low flying planes that will record the deer population.

The biggest challenge with the plan to administer birth control is sedating the deer. The process involves darting the deer with a sedative, tagging them, and then administering the drug. The program has been successful in other parts of New York.

Posted by Dil Gillani on

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