Save the White Deer - Pt. Reyes, CA The Basic Facts:

The Fallow and Axis Deer were brought to the Point Reyes National Seashore by humans in 1948. The deer have since naturalized in the vast and beautiful surroundings.

In the summer of 2007, the National Park Service will begin killing the Fallow and Axis Deer of the Point Reyes National Seashore as part of their non-native extermination policies.

Friends of the White Deer are calling for humane management of the population of deer, not extermination, in order to preserve the deer, which are beloved by locals and the millions of tourists who visit the seashore annually. What The National Park Service Will Do:

Under the leadership of Point Reyes National Seashore Superintendent Don Neubacher, the National Park Service is considering bringing mercenary animal exterminators from New Zealand to slaughter the deer. Their methods for exterminating animals include gunning them down from helicopters, hunting with dogs, and beating and stabbing them to death.

The ugly truth about the National Park Service's methods was exposed by recently retired Channel Island National Park Superintendent, Tim J. Setnicka, who publicly documented the accepted system of false vilification of targeted animals, purposeful misrepresentation of scientific facts to the public, lack of thorough scientific research, and the inhumane deaths of the animals involved.

The NPS is basing their need to hastily exterminate all the deer on the assumption that the Fallow and Axis Deer are somehow harming the environment and disadvantaging the local population of Black-tailed Deer. There is, at present, no documentation to support this claim, but rather than making an effort to study the deer, the NPS will simply destroy them. Read more about the NPS' inhumane policies. We Ask The National Park Service To:

Put a halt to their hasty plan of extermination.

Spend time studying the Fallow and Axis Deer and their relationship to the environment.

Adopt a humane management plan based on the constantly-improving science of dart gun contraception. Find out more about who we are. We Want The Deer To Stay Because:

They have been a valued part of local life for more than 50 years.

They add to the rich diversity of abundant life at the Point Reyes National Seashore.

They can only be seen in a small number of places in America.

They are a strong part of the appeal the Point Reyes National Seashore has to its 2.5 million annual visitors. Read more about the Point Reyes National Seashore. What You Can Do:

You can write to the media and elected officials.

You can submit photographs and film footage of the deer to Friends of the White Deer.

You can submit opinion pieces in favor of saving the deer to Friends of the White Deer.

If you run a local or animal rights website or blog, you can share our story with your readers.

You can donate to the Friends of the White Deer fund. Get complete details on what you can do. Your Donation Will Enable Us To:

Hire photographers and filmmakers to document the plight of the Fallow and Axis Deer.

Hold photo and essay contests to promote the need for humane management.

Run educational advertising via the Internet, print publications, and radio. Learn more about making a donation. Humans brought the Fallow and Axis Deer to the Point Reyes National Seashore. It is now their home. Humans must take responsibility for humane care of these special deer, not shirk responsibility with acts of violence. Please help us to save these rare and gentle deer before it is too late. Stumble! Friends of the White Deer's Position is Supported By:

The Marin Humane Society

In Defense of Animals

WildCare

Dr. Jane Goodall Find out more about who we are.