Judge Clears Catalina Island Conservancy to Begin Eradicating 2,000 Non-Native Mule Deer

A Los Angeles County judge tentatively denied an injunction on September 1, 2026, clearing the Catalina Island Conservancy to begin removing roughly 2,000 non-native mule deer from Santa Catalina Island. Ground-based specialists plan to kill about 200 deer by rifle this fall as the first phase of a five-year eradication. The deer, introduced a century ago for sport hunting, browse native shrubs, enabling invasive grasses that heighten fire risk. A final ruling is expected within 90 days.