Kill The Tick, Not The Deer

To the Editor:,

The black-legged tick (Ixodes-Scapularis), carrier of Lyme and other greatly feared diseases, must be eliminated. This will not be achieved by a town-sanctioned bloodbath of our native deer.

Calling this disease-carrying organism a “deer-tick” is a phony designation. Those with an agenda of their own, who persist in using this misleading term, choose to ignore the evidence of many years: deer do not become infected with Lyme disease. The white-footed mice and numerous species of birds do — and this is one way the tick becomes infected and why Lyme disease it is so widely spread.

It may be more appropriate to call this spider-like disease carrier a “mouse tick” or a “bird tick” but then, I fear we could end up with camouflaged “saviors” skulking about on hidden platforms under trees — arrows at the ready, aiming at our birdfeeders.

Towns across our state and in states with a similar natural environment have sponsored bloody culling events year after year. To date there is no scientific evidence that they have eliminated or even significantly reduced Lyme disease (or any other tick-borne diseases). In some instances these diseases have actually increased after years of relentless deer culls. Chances are most of the remaining hosts (other small wildlife) in the area are infected, so dining and riding on them, the developing ticks now are able to drop off and further spread the disease.

Every living thing has biological enemies. It is one of the complexities of life and is one of the ways nature tends to stay in balance over eons of time.

Until we can identify and help propagate a natural enemy for the black-legged tick, and develop an effective vaccine for ourselves as well, we can take sensible precautions to avoid tick-borne diseases. There is abundant printed information available. There are effective antibiotics. There are sprays which work perfectly to keep deer from nibbling in your garden. There are repellants to keep ticks off you and your pets.

Do we want our children to grow up believing that a town-sponsored killing spree that hasn’t worked elsewhere is the way to handle every environmental dilemma?                                      

Very truly yours,

Paula Hopper

131 Boggs Hill Road, Newtown                                January 12, 2010