The federal government has approved a deer cull at Grosse Ile, Que., the national historic site containing the graves of thousands of Irish famine migrants, saying the island's growing deer population poses environmental and public safety concerns.The Department of Environment confirmed the decision in a Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement, saying Parks Canada will use several methods to control the population."A range of wildlife management measures will be used including strictly controlled culls," said the department.No cost for the program was disclosed and Parks Canada did not specify when the cull would begin.Grosse Ile, a two-kilometre island in the St. Lawrence River, currently has an estimated 95 deer. Parks Canada said the animals have no natural predators on the island, allowing their numbers to increase."The deer population on Grosse Ile has no natural predators," said the department. "This overpopulation has significant consequences for the environment through intensive grazing and trampling."Officials said they considered other approaches before determining a controlled cull was the most effective option."A controlled cull was determined to be the most effective approach to address overabundance while protecting the site's ecological health and ensuring public safety on the island," said the Analysis Statement."Over time, only small and more regular reductions would be required to maintain a sustainable and appropriate deer population."The department acknowledged environmental and wildlife groups raised concerns during consultations. Some questioned the effectiveness and cost of a cull, while wildlife advocates called for what the department described as "a transparent, humane and ecologically responsible approach to deer management.".Grosse Ile was designated a national historic site in 1974 and holds particular significance for Irish Canadians.The island served as a quarantine station beginning in 1832 and became infamous during the Irish famine when ships packed with migrants crossed the Atlantic for British North America.Thousands died during the journey or after arriving at the quarantine station.Victor Boyle, national president of the Ancient Order of Hibernians Canada, previously described the island as sacred."That island is a sacred site," said Boyle. "I make pilgrimages to our Celtic Cross on Grosse Ile. I have taken schoolchildren, all expenses paid."A 2017 Parks Canada Management Plan described the island's history as the setting for "a major human drama" and said Grosse Ile "remains very evocative of the past."Federal researchers examining migration during the Irish famine estimated that 17,477 of the 98,649 emigrants who boarded vessels bound for Québec City died before reaching their final destination."Around 18%, 17,477 of the 98,649 emigrants who boarded vessels for Québec City, died before reaching their final destination," said the 1997 federal report Grosse Ile: A Record Of Daily Events.Researchers estimated approximately 5,000 people were buried on Grosse Ile."This singularly tragic odyssey involving mainly Irish emigrants made a lasting impression on individuals and society as a whole," said the report.
