The Corner of N.Y.C. That’s Overrun by Deer, Turkeys and Feral Cats

“After all, it is New York City’s least populous borough, with three times fewer residents than Manhattan, and half the city’s parkland is on Staten Island.” Well, if one times fewer brings the population to zero, three times fewer equals negative people?

Here on Staten Island, I photograph local wildlife and admin a local wildlife FB group, and while I concur that the deer and feral cats are a nuisance and a threat to local flora and fauna, the turkey hype seems overblown. We are blessed on Staten Island to be able to walk out our doors and see wild turkeys, an animal I had never observed in the wild until the mid '90s (turkey are a native bird unlike the ubiquitous house sparrows, pigeons and starlings). We are also blessed to have a small population of beavers - an animal that may have kick-started NYC into existence - nesting bald eagles, plentiful seals and humpback whales along our shores. Nature is the best classroom for both adults and children, offering New Yorkers a long lost connection to our colonial roots, scientific insight, and respite from the daily turmoil that everyone in the five boroughs knows so well. Get out there and see some of the amazing creatures that call Staten Island home instead of being just plain fearful of them. It always amazes me that New Yorkers, who always claim to be a special breed of "tough," just lose it when confronted with the "problem" of urban wildlife. One final thought: WHY does it appear that when considering culls, everyone has this "eureka moment" about feeding the homeless with local "nuisance" wildlife? Are the homeless clamoring for wild turkey or venison? Hey, I'll take some of that game meat!

I live on Staten Island and I love the fact that I can admire the wildlife here. That being said, however, the deer population is a bit out of control, and the way people drive around here, collisions are inevitable. Lyme disease is a concern as well from the ticks they carry. Populations need to be culled a bit, I agree, but I wouldn’t want them all eliminated. The turkeys probably eat ticks, so that would help counter the spread of Lyme disease. The feral cats are another issue. As much as I love cats, people need to spay and neuter their pets because feral cats kill more birds than anything else. They probably spread diseases, like distemper to wildlife, such as raccoon, which we have as well. People need to stop releasing and feeding stray cats!

Deer birth control was an expensive failure years ago when it was attempted on Fire Island. Allow bow hunting for deer on Staten Island. Wild turkeys can also be hunted with a bow. Don't let Disney-induced emotions replace science as the basis for decisions. White tail deer are not a protected or endangered species. Nor are wild turkeys.

This is the strangest situation with the turkeys. The are concentrated near the hospital on Seaview Avenue but a few make there way down to New Dorp occasionally.

This is one of the few times I agree with the mayor and disagree with Mr. Rose. Staten Island is way too congested for hunting. The human death toll would be horrific

By the early 20th Century population of deer and waterfowl were reduced to dangerous leves. Fish and game Departments and concerned groups of Sportsmen like Ducks Unlimited turned things around wit habitat restoration and hunting quotas. Ecological management of populations are good for people and animals. I suspect few purely urban people are even aware of this. Lyme disease is no jokea potentialy chronic conditions. cannot fathom being against a limited archery season for those who like the taste of venison. Gee give half to a food bank. It’s all ok butchered and dressed in a Whole Foods Display case.... correct?

Yep -- Always ignore the easy solution in favor of the more complex and impractical one

Wild turkey breast is delicious. Better than fried chicken. If you are killing turkey for consumption it is not inhumane . Think of how many homeless people could be fed a delicious meal of fried turkey breast , mashed potatoes and green peas and also makes wonderful gravy. The rest of the turkey can be made into turkey noodle soup. I am a southern woman that has eaten wild game my whole life . By the way the turkey breast needs to be tenderize before dipping in flour with salt and pepper. Delicious

We Drive animals from their environment when they become a problem we choose to hunt and kill them. There needs to be an altenative. We are all here together.

Why focus on this trivial issue when Staten Island is the: Only borough that does NOT have a PUBLIC HOSPITAL SEVERELY LACKS the transportation structure available to the other boroughs Only borough requiring residents to PAY TOLLS to get on and off Vast majority of residents UNFAIRLY PAY HIGHER PROPERTY TAXES than those in wealthier neighborhoods throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn Why don’t you write about serious stuff and ask the Congressman and Mayor what they’ve done about these VERY SERIOUS problems facing Staten Islanders?

Yes this is a problem but introducing wolves will only create a wolf problem in a few years. What then introduce a predator to deal with the wolves. Where would it end.

We brought in bow hunters in Bucks County, PA. It cost nothing, was safe, and now we have a stable manageable deer population. The meat was donated to local food banks. Rejuvenated forrest plant diversity helped all wild animals and birds. Car crashes with deer and lyme Disease are also way down. The deer overpopulation was also hitting our local farmers hard.

Many suburban areas have deer overpopulation issues. The only effective solution is controlled hunting to reduce populations. Sterilization is very expensive and very stressful to the animal, sometimes resulting in death. Relocation is as bad or worse. Left unchecked the deer population will destroy native vegetation and small mammal and bird habitat. Sounds like Staten Island has already hit that stage.

I’ve gotten an up close look at deer and that isn’t beautiful. Never have I seen a more mangy bug infested animal in my life. Best viewed from a distance.

We are having a similar problem with turkey in California, where they are not native. Hard to tell what effect they are having having on our native fauna and flora, but they are large and there is a flock of about 30 of them that pass through my yard regularly. I am hoping that our local coyotes and pumas will learn to take advantage of this new food source.

Bring back wolves. While we're at it, encourage coyotes, too.

Vasectomy policy for the deer or the policy makers?

Humans are the true invaders. If you want to restore the Staten Island ecosystem to some semblance of balance, add wolves.

How odd, I thought turkeys only came out in fowl weather.

"...but the city is pushing a vasectomy program." A vasectomy program for Staten Islanders? I know we like to poke a little fun at them, but that's a little extreme, no?

Deer “nearly became extinct a century ago” not only “because of overhunting and natural predators”, but because vast stretches of what are now forest and suburbs of countless single family home were farmlands 100-200 years ago. If you walk through the woods in many of the northeastern states, you will see picturesque knee-high stonewalls, evidence of farmland long gone. There is virtually no virgin forest left anywhere in the NE. Most of it was cut to harvest timber then the land was farmed. The deer (and turkey likely) came back with the forests and tree-rich suburbs.

Those Jersey deer are the worst!

Sterilization programs have not worked. Deer are rats with hooves. Cute eyes tho.

What are we doing to the animal kingdom? In Boston we have wild turkeys and coyotes in the middle of the city, and now we have bunny rabbit pooping on our back deck. Are we taking away their natural habitats?

For those who are against culling the deer heard because they are 'part of nature' I suggest rereading the article. Nature has already been screwed up! The deer no longer have natural enemies except us. The deer overpopulation is destroying nature. The habitat of other creatures is being eaten by the deer. Nature will not regenerate if the deer eat every green sprout. Hunting is the only practical way to cull the deer heard.

Why does the article not address rampant overdevelopment and the accompanying car culture. The natural world doesn't stand a chance with the city's build build build culture.

Several years ago, while visiting our daughter at school in Boston, we happened to see groups of wild turkeys milling about on the sidewalks near BU. Having rarely seen such numbers of turkeys in our rural home in PA, I was surprised and mentioned it to our daughter. She told us that they were a real problem locally; groups of turkeys regularly terrorizing students on their way to class by blocking the way or even surrounding them in a circular pattern of gobbling terror. I, of course, smiled and shook my head at the thought of her fellow urban snowflakes, reduced to cowering to group of walking drumsticks. But, on our way out I was amazed as watched a young lady and her toddler across the street beset upon by a flock intent on terror while giving no quarter and, given the aggressive nature of the birds around a seemingly vulnerable youngster, I no longer assumed it was just a case of over-wound kids, unused to actual nature. I had thought that wild turkey urban gangs were a phenomena limited to the Boston Fens, but since then I've read about several urban and suburban areas that felt besieged. Could this be a general uprising?

The solution is obvious. New York City needs a "stop and leash" law.

Turkeys and deer have as much right as humans . Why are we so special . Why can't we co-exist . There are too many humans . Actually we need more wildlife - I believe . We need to find the way to co-exist and even support wildlife . we already have done much destruction and as Trump might say - carnage for animals .

How about introducing wolves into Staten Island's eco-system? That should take care of the problem.

Good grief! Shoot them and move on. Sorry if that offends, but it is cheap and effective. Sharpshooters using the correct ammunition can do this with what will probably be less risk to the population than that posed by deer/auto collisions.

Oh, come on!!! People took the wildlife’s environment, and now are complaining about the nuisance of a turkey’s call. And upset about their cars being damaged by the poor deer being hit by it. Protecting wildlife keeps the balance in our living; people destroy our landscapes and natural resources so much more than the wildlife. Feral/homeless cats are a human created issue, and they deserve human compassion. TNR and feeding/caring are ethical ways until adoption/sanctuaries are viable.

In wooded South New Jersey, we have squirrels, deer, turkeys, and feral cats. I leave out seed for the song birds, but there are none. They have been decimated by the feral cats who have also eradicated the chipmunk population. These cats are large, well fed, and well groomed. They stalk the squirrels without much success. The only critters eating my bird seed are the squirrels and the turkeys. The band of twenty or so roaming turkeys are welcome recent visitors. They occasionally poke at the own images on our sliding glass doors but that's about the extent of the mischief they get into.

This seems like a quintessentially "Big City" problem. People who have, historically, not lived with wild animals in close proximity and don't have a culture of hunting often seem to have a disdain for it as "cruel" or "wrong" in some way, but I'd argue that being shot is one of the quickest, most painless ways a wild deer could die. These sterilized deer will likely go on to die slow, painful deaths from disease, predation, and vehicle accidents and the state will have the same end result, just slower. It seems like such a waste of resources to go around castrating deer when the city could actually make money off of this by selling special hunting passes. To me, this is the epitome of using emotions to drive legislation instead of looking to things that actually make fiscal and ethical sense. Killing the animals is "icky" so we are instead going to drastic lengths and spending ridiculous amounts of money that could be spent on things that benefit humans to keep these animals alive while ineffectively trying to solve the problem.

Gosh, many food banks and shelters for the homeless could benefit from this protein. And many hunters would love to serve the needy this way.

For those who eat red meat, or who feed their dogs meat (as in, most brands of dog food), venison can be a replacement for the flesh of farmed animals. If the meat is used efficiently and the method of slaughter is quick, there's probably a net benefit to deer "harvesting", relative to beef production, in terms of how the animal grows up, total carbon footprint, and nutrients delivered to the consumer.

The city and state could make money by selling hunting licenses and offering courses on safe hunting. Local merchants could make money too by selling hunting related goods and the local diet would improve by the consumption of leaner meats, turkey and venison. If the deer are left to their own devices they will being to oscillate between cycles of starvation, and disease, where the population declines, then rebounds, which is possibly what the residents are seeing in the declining population, not from sterilization. The ecosystem of much of the United States is no longer naturally in balance by the degradation of several centuries of greed, pollution, and over-population. Hunting can help the deer and other wildlife survive and thrive while at the same time benefiting the human population as well.

Coexisting with our wild animal neighbors is always work and flexibility on the part of humans. My life's work has been gardening in an area with harsh winters and hungry wildlife looking for food.....our gardens. Culling does not solve the problem....as animals will always be with us on this planet. When we changed our thoughts to native plantings our landscape/garden investment was less desirable to our forest neighbors. Please take the path of working with nature, planting natives and TNR cat colonies.

I would think hunting and then using deer and turkey as food would be the best thing. Cats need to be caught, spayed and neutered. Whether they can be "de-feralized" and then put up for adoption would be the question about them being re-released.