LUNENBURG - The clock is "ticking" for government officials in their efforts to control the problem of increasing deer populations in Lunenburg County.
Last week, representatives of the area's five municipal units met again with provincial government officials and wildlife experts to discuss the steadily increasing number of deer on the South Shore, and, more importantly, how to control health problems they potentially can create.
A number of years ago, deer in the area were discovered to be carriers of deer ticks, a tiny, black parasite that can transmit Lyme disease to humans and other animals such as dogs.
Mayor Laurence Mawhinney said among those in attendance at the August 20 meeting was Dr. Robbin Lindsay, a research scientist with the federal Department of Health, as well as representatives of the Federation of Anglers and Hunters.
Describing the meeting as being "very positive," the mayor said the group appears to be a step closer to the institution of a pilot project that would involve the installation of special feeding stations for deer that would help control ticks.
Known in some areas as sweep stations or four posters, the devices involve a bin of feed such as corn that the deer can only access by putting their heads through four rollers treated with insecticide.
The insecticide is rubbed off on the deer's head and neck, and the ticks are eliminated when they come in contact with it.
Mayor Mawhinney said plans are for the pilot project to be instituted in the Lunenburg-Garden Lots area where five cases of human contact with Lyme disease have been reported in recent years.
"This is something that Dr. Lindsay has been working on for some time.
In fact, they have been monitoring the black-legged deer tick population in the Lunenburg-Garden Lots-Blue Rocks area since 2003," the mayor said, adding that a final proposal to the councils of the town and the Municipality of Lunenburg will be drawn up for their consideration.
"This still all has to be worked out, and there are certain times of year that are more important to have the deer accessing these stations, and fall, I guess, is one of those times," he said.
"It doesn't hurt the animal, it simply seeks to address the issue of the black-legged ticks."
The mayor said the meeting also resulted in a call to address the subject of continued public education on the issue, and the necessity of being vigilant, "because Lyme disease is certainly one of the more serious illnesses that can be transmitted.
"We wish to hold a public information meeting ... at which time we hope that Dr. Lindsay and representatives from the Department of Health and Natural Resources can be in attendance, and make a public presentation about what they have learned, what they know and what they are proposing to do," he added.
That meeting will likely take place in Lunenburg in mid- to late September, but a date has yet to be finalized.
The mayor cautioned that there is no "immediate, one-of-a-kind solution to this problem.
"It will be a solution that takes a number of years to achieve, and it will require co-operation on the part of the public, [and] it will require education in even greater measures so that people can guard themselves against the Lyme disease possibility."
Love, Light, & Health, Jennie
-------------------- My Lyme dx:11/05. My Mom's Lyme dx:5/16. ISO ASAP-Lyme Literate Dr & Neurologist-Prefer IL, IN, KY, MO, OH, TN. Can travel farther. Finances limited. Prefer Drs take Medicare or Payments. Need great list to find best fit. Tyvm. Posts: 701 | From Owensboro, KY | Registered: Sep 2005
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I hope it kills the ticks, otherwise this practice causes them to hop off the deer and wait for a human!!!
Jan
-------------------- 3 Strains Mycoplasma and Chlymedia 2001. After treatment fine for all 2004. Major symptoms since 2005. Diag Aug 2008 Lyme. 400 mg/d doxy 500 2/d Ceftin Posts: 164 | From Texas | Registered: Jun 2008
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bettyg
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i looked this up; happening in NOVA SCOTIA; i wandered what USA state this was in....
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