Dear editor,
Regarding our incredible urban deer: Since moving here in 2008 I as with many others have been completely enamoured by our urban deer.
To me it is representative of a great step forward for humanity to begin to understand the many other beings we all share the Earth with.
But it is clear a great many of them are not doing well in the city. Urban encroachment, loss of quiet places to nest, etc; etc; are having its toll. Possibly the most devastating danger to our deer is the road.
Deer are being killed on our roads at an alarming rate. Why? I Have thought about this over and over again. Every time, I come up with the same conclusion. Simply, we are killing our deer with kindness.
On a daily basis, over and over I see car after car slowing down and standing still for deer on the road. Stopping to watch, enjoying them and ensuring they get across safely.
Day after day, I wish I could sit and be so kind for myself and for them. But I cannot. Why? Well, it is clear to me that the message of stopping and treating our deer this way only tells them that our roads are safe. Well, they are not safe. And in the night, and in the fall and winter when it is dark at 6 p.m., and when we can no longer see every deer that wants to cross the road, they don’t understand this and they die.
Our kindness is killing our urban deer, one at a time. Almost every night somewhere in town they die.
So when you see a car that is honking and driving in a manner that appears to be scaring our deer off the road, it is me. And I hope others will understand.
Please give our deer a chance. Don’t let them think our roads are safe.
Scott Fennell
Comox