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Wildlife contraception has been going on at least since 1985, primarily using an immunocontraception method developed by Dr. Jay Fitzpatrick, Dr John Turner, and Dr Irwin Liu utilizing PZP (porcine zona pellucida, a hormone obtained from pig slaughterhouse wastes).  At present, this method requires two dartings of each female animal making its use practical only in a limited area such as a park or an island. 

It has been successfully used on the wild horses of Assateague Island National Seashore,  deer on Fire Island near New York City, deer in Gettysburg National Monument and municipal and county parks.  Hunters and their allies in state wildlife departments shy away from contraception because they would prefer to limit populations through regulated hunting seasons which actually serve to increase population in the long run thus creating a perpetual overabundance of deer.  We will attempt to bring you new information as it becomes available.

August 2, 2000
Deer Contraception Effective
AP story in The Evening Tribune, Hornell NY
A variety of contraceptive plans could help curb an exploding deer population in areas of upstate New York, researchers say.

A $500,000 research study in Cayuga Heights, which borders Cornell University's campus, shows birth control of deer is possible, although still not a cheap or immediate solution to overpopulation.

A four-year study at the former Seneca Army Depot on a captive (i.e, fenced in) herd showed c. an 85% decrease in fawns, said Cornell Wildlife Biologist, Paul Curtis.

In another study, deer contraceptives were successfully delivered by dart guns  in suburban Rochester.  A 3-year trial showed deer could be vaccinated if they were relatively tame and biologists had access to flat, open land where darting didn't pose threats to other human and animal life.

The state deer population is estimated at one million, while the number of hunting licenses in 1998 was 493,000, down from a high of 700,000 in 1981.  Problems with the high deer population include deer-car collisions, loss of cash crops and damage to suburban plantings.

To help stem the population, scientists at the National Wildlife Research Center in Colorado and Ithaca are also researching the possibility of putting contraceptives into food.  One scientist has genetically altered (another problem in itself) tomatoes to include a contraceptive which could lead to controlling other wild populations such as Canada geese, prairie dogs and coyotes.