A wary deer peers out from a February forest. As deer flourish in the absence of natural predators, and suburbs extend tendrils into formerly wooded areas, deer-human conflicts inevitably arise. In the past, these conflicts most often have been resolved through culling of deer populations. Immunocontraception drugs offer a way to keep deer populations in check through nonlethal, relatively nonintrusive means. Scientists, citizens, and many animal welfare advocates are increasingly supportive of immunocontraception as a humane method of controlling wildlife populations in lieu of traditional lethal methods. On page 6, AWI examines the benefits of immunocontraception as well as the resistance to such methods by some. On page 28, we tell you about two upcoming conferences that address immunocontraception.
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