Great News for Maryland's Deer

Guest blogger Joseph Lamp, Ph.D., Wildlife Advisory Commission:

Our decades of prayers have been answered.  I can now report that on September 29, 2009, the United States Environmental Protection Agency approved drug #56228-40, GonaCon, a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) immunocontraceptive vaccine for white-tail deer, developed by the National Wildlife Research Center.  This EPA approval sets the state for ConaCon's actual usage in the public domain, and it is not longer merely an "experimental drug" with all the caveats previously surround it as such.  No longer can anyone make the argument that you must kill the deer to control them as the only viable management option.

According to Fagersone, et. al, in their article, "Registration of wildlife contraceptives in the United States of America, with OvoControl and GonaCon immunocontraceptive vaccines as examples" (see Wildlife Research, 2008, 35 pp. 586-592), here's a brief snapshot of what ConaCon does.

GonaCon is a "single-shot" multi-year contraceptive useful for both male and female deer.  "A single injection of GonaCon can keep female deer infertile for 1-4 years without boosters, but infertility is reversible..."  "Multiple injections of the drug can increase the longevity of the vaccine."  "In males, testosterone levels are reduced, testicular size and aggressive behaviour decrease significantly and no interest is shown in oestrous females."

Our Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) been very receptive to moving on the implementation of a plan for using this drug once it was approved.  As a WAC commissioner, I give you my word that I will be monitoring and strongly encouraging its use from this day forth inside DNR.

I am confident that this huge breakthrough will only see even greater improvements in such drugs - and perhaps even more and better drugs to enter the field.  GonaCon's approval has opened the door.

What we now have is the power for "dawning a new day" and a paradign shift in wildlife management of our deer in many areas---especially in urban settings.  One that is so much more in line with the humane treatment of animals that has been so desperately needed.

The deer of Maryland have not had many wins over the years---but this one is HUGE!  Please take a few moments to celebrate for all the deer in Maryland whose lives will be saved thanks to GonaCon.