What does “we have a deer problem” mean?
The “deer problem” is an indication that the local biological system is out of balance. In nature, all biological communities, or ecosystems, are in a state of flux. At the same time, balances evolve among all the components of the system, including the non-living (soil, water, etc.) and the living components (plants, animals). A “deer problem” exists when the number of deer exceeds the ability of the environment to support the deer. The “deer problem” also refers to human interaction with deer, such as landscape damage, farm damage, automobile/deer accidents, and concerns for disease transmission. An environmental balance is of primary concern to Cleveland Metroparks, but as a member of the larger community of Northeast Ohio, other issues cannot be ignored. What caused the “deer problem” to occur? Deer were over-hunted in Ohio and disappeared from the landscape by 1900. The rapid growth in the deer herd size in Northeast Ohio is directly related to several factors. Natural predators o
