Bulletins

To ensure the long-term health of Point Pelee National Park’s sensitive ecosystems, Parks Canada and Caldwell First Nation will be conducting the annual deer cull requiring a short-term closure of the park in early November 2024. 

Public safety is of the utmost importance to Parks Canada. Point Pelee National Park will be closed to visitors between November 1 and November 8, 2024, inclusive, during the deer cull. The park will reopen on November 9, 2024. A second deer cull will take place between January 24 and January 31, 2025, inclusive, 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. Caldwell First Nation’s traditional territory encompasses the park. A high population (hyperabundance) 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. 

Parks Canada has been collaborating with Caldwell First Nation for a number of years to actively manage the deer population in order to protect the park’s sensitive ecosystems. The deer cull is part of the Hyperabundant Deer Management Program which has a goal to achieve the health, ecological integrity, and balance of the ecosystem, by reducing the white-tailed deer population. The program includes many components such as ecosystem monitoring, deer population monitoring, species at risk protection, and ongoing research and collaboration. As well, the Hyperabundant Deer Management Program provides opportunities for Caldwell First Nation to mentor youth and strengthen traditional connections to the land, in addition to sharing knowledge and expertise with Parks Canada.

More information about hyperabundant species in Point Pelee National Park.