The city of New Albany, Indiana, took decisive action amid local outcry over a strangely secretive planned deer cull, according to WHAS-TV.
What's happening?
On Feb. 22, the City of New Albany (@NewAlbanyIN) published an unusual public service announcement, warning of wildlife reduction activity and gunfire in Clarksville's Origin Park.
An odd aspect of the statement was officials' repeated use of "we were told" regarding the parameters of the planned activity, originally scheduled to occur between Feb. 23 and Feb. 27.
"We were told that suppressed gunfire may be heard during the listed dates, and that deer and their remains will be processed on site at Origin Park. … At this time, this is all the information the City has received," it read in part.
A little over two hours later, Clarksville Town Council President Bob McEwen issued a brief statement on Facebook, "formally expressing opposition" to the deer cull.
McEwen asserted initiatives like the mysterious deer cull required public transparency, adding that local officials were not informed of the plan and called for a halt pending review.
"The council was neither informed of this action nor provided the opportunity to review, deliberate, or vote on the matter," he said. Fellow councilman Tony Munich shared McEwen's consternation and told WHAS-TV that local leaders were kept in the dark.
On Sunday, Feb. 22, Munich uncovered emails from months earlier arranging the Origin Park deer cull.
"Months to know this was going on, and to purposefully conceal it from council members is wrong," he stated.
Why is this concerning?
The River Heritage Conservancy manages Origin Park and defended the plan as a necessary measure after an Indiana Department of Natural Resources survey observed "unusual grazing patterns," according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.
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Wildlife culling and reduction efforts are long-established practices, typically to limit the spread of disease or manage population numbers.
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Save $1,000 this year 💸 This particular deer cull was reportedly organized in response to an uptick in sick and malnourished white-tailed deer, but locals strongly opposed it in comments on McEwen's post.
"So who exactly organized this 'hunt' which doesn't sound like a hunt at all? And thank you for opposing this. How do you advertise a nature park and then go and kill some of the wildlife?" a resident asked.
Several questioned the timing of the deer cull, calling it unethical and ill-considered.
"And the does are pregnant! My husband is a hunter and this disgusts him. All of the reduction of herd hunts normally happen during hunting season. Not when the does are pregnant," another replied.
What's being done about it?
In this case, swift public outcry brought about an equally swift result.
On Feb. 23, New Albany Mayor Jeff Gahan issued a statement on Facebook maintaining that the city had "no choice but to close the Ohio River Greenway beginning at 3:00pm," effectively preventing the planned cull.
"We felt compelled to notify the public, because Origin Park failed to do so. Origin Park needs to explain clearly why they are doing this, and as of now, they have not," Gahan wrote.
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