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Wildlife Featured in this article
- White-tailed deer
Possible win-win for wildlife management and food security
Researchers suggest scaling up wild-harvested food donation programs
Wild-harvested meat donation programs can help improve food insecurity while also helping manage overabundance of wildlife species like white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Researchers recently looked at one such program in Michigan from 2022 to 2023. They found that through the Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger program, hunters donated 600,000 meals. But that’s only 5.7% of the amount of venison that food donation facilities could use, according to the Food Bank Council of Michigan. The researchers say this suggests there’s room for scaling up these programs. Wildlife management can benefit, too. “White-tailed deer hyperabundance increases the frequency and magnitude of damage to vehicles, crops and ecosystems,” the researchers wrote.
Header Image: The Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger donates wild game meet to combat food insecurity. Credit: Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger via Facebook
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