Date: Sun, 08 Mar 2009 14:58:10 -0400
From: maxgopher
Subject: Deer and Ticks (and songbirds, too)
As a former resident of NC (Chatham Forest), and one of many diagnosed with RMSF just on my block, I would like for all the “Deer Huggers” to understand that in many parts of the country, there is a great interest in trying to understand the correlation between vector populations and disease occurances.? Yes, other furry rodents are vectors for ticks.
But the vast majority are deer.
And deer travel the farthest.
And deer carry more ticks/animal.
Please read this important study on deer as vectors for disease-carrying ticks:
http://www.deeralliance.com/index.php?pageID=5&articleID=51
Please keep in mind that the deer populations are greater in the continental US than at any time before recorded history.
Please stop purposely feeding them!??
There is a strong second consequence to exploding deer populations and that is the destruction of songbird habitat.? Folks would love to bang the drum that only humans are responsible for songbird population reduction.? This is only partially the case.? The “Silent Spring” that so many of us are witnessing is also due to high deer populations.? Please read this:
http://www.deerandforests.org/resources/White-tailed%20Deer%20Alter%20Diversity.pdf
We need to take the deer problem seriously, and to engage in intelligent discourse with our neighbors and public officials.? I don’t want to hear that my friend and former neighbor will be diagnosed with RMSF for the third time.?
Thanks for considering these facts.