| Re: Introducing food supply for predators to reduce effect on caribou on November 19, 2010 |
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Introducing the white tailed deer and the mule deer as an additional food source for caribou predators would only increase the problem of caribou population decline. The deer are carriers of a nematode parasite known as Elaphalostrongylus (unsure if that is the right spelling) aka the brain worm. The brain worm does not harm the deer, however, it is often fatal to caribou. The brain worm is already present here in the province, as it was introduced with the Grenfell Reindeer experiment. It currently has caused the decline of a number of caribou sub-populations in the province, we do not need another introduction of this parasite, along with the current population of brain worm occurring in the province today.
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