Judge Allows Catalina Island Deer Eradication to Proceed Amid Legal Challenge
A Los Angeles judge declined to pause the Catalina Island Conservancy's plan to cull nonnative mule deer, despite last-minute appeals.
Superior Court Judge Curtis A. Kin tentatively denied a request for a preliminary injunction, allowing the Catalina Island Conservancy to start its deer eradication program under a state permit. The conservancy plans to eliminate roughly 200 mule deer in the first stage, using contracted hunters, as part of a multi-year ecosystem restoration effort. The deer, introduced in the 1920s, have multiplied to about 2,000 and are blamed for increasing fire risk and harming native species such as the Catalina Island fox.
Legal challengers, including Safari Club International and the California Rifle & Pistol Association, argue the plan bypassed environmental review. The judge noted that the actual eradication phase will not begin until June 2027, and a final ruling on the injunction is expected within 90 days.
Why it matters
The decision determines how invasive deer will be managed on a fragile island ecosystem and impacts fire risk and native wildlife.
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