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Title
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Protesters march to Arboretum in opposition to
deer cull
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Rights
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The Michigan Daily
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Type
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Online Newspaper
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Creator
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Ishi Mori
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Date
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January 31, 2017
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Description
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A newspaper article covering a protest by Ann Arbor residents against the deer cull authorized by the University of Michigan
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Format
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Web Page
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Publisher
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The Michigan Daily
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Contributor
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Ishi Mori
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extracted text
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11/27/25, 9:49 PM
Protesters march to Arboretum in opposition to deer cull
ANN ARBOR
Protesters march to Arboretum in opposition to
deer cull
by Ishi Mori
January 31, 2017
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11/27/25, 9:49 PM
Protesters march to Arboretum in opposition to deer cull
Despite the January cold, about 20 Ann Arbor residents marched to Nichols Arboretum on Monday to protest
the University of Michigan’s decision to allow a deer cull on campus. The culling officially started on
Monday in various parks around Ann Arbor, including Nichols Arboretum.
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Protesters march to Arboretum in opposition to deer cull
The march was organized by the Friends of Ann Arbor Wildlife in Nature, an animal rights group formed in
opposition to the lethal deer management program the city of Ann Arbor has been pursuing since last year.
LSA junior Aaron Brodkey, president of the Michigan Animal Respect Society, said he joined the march to
oppose what he saw as wrongful human intervention in nature, and suggested the city explore non-lethal
options.
“Personally, I just think it’s maybe wrong or rash to make this decision,” Brodkey said. “I feel like we’re
taking it into our own hands and playing God in this position and saying, ‘Hey, we need to massacre 100 deer
for who knows what reason?’ ”
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However, Community Relations Director Jim Kosteva told the Daily in a previous article that the Council’s
decision to cull is supported by ample scientific evidence, an opinion with which many University biologists
agree. Kosteva said deer grazing has significantly damaged University property in a way that is
environmentally and financially unsustainable.
“The Nichols Arboretum, which is expected to be a showcase and living laboratory of diverse species, has
been unable to establish many seedlings due to the overgrazing of the deer herd,” Kosteva wrote. “The
University has also incurred a significant loss of landscape materials, particularly on North Campus, that have
been consumed or damaged by deer. Replacing that material has required a costly diversion of funds that
otherwise could support more mission centered activities.”
The protesters gathered at the corner of North University Avenue and State Street, and made their way across
the Diag to the Arboretum chanting, “Hey hey, ho ho, U of M deer cull’s got to go” and, “Stop the shoot in the
Arb.”
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Protesters march to Arboretum in opposition to deer cull
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Sergio Muniz, Transportation Research Institute visiting scholar, said in Brazil where he is from, people are
against lethal animal control and wished to see that attitude grow in Ann Arbor.
“Our animals have the right to life and peace,” Muniz said. “In Brazil, hunting is illegal … There and here, we
have the same concerns about hunting. It’s not the best way to keep nature safe and healthy.”
When the protesters reached the Arboretum, they formed a circle passed around LED candles and sang “We
Shall Overcome,”
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Protesters march to Arboretum in opposition to deer cull
FAAWN member Nirmala Hanke read a speech condemning the University’s decision to allow the cull and
criticized what she saw as inadequate safety procedures for students.
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Protesters march to Arboretum in opposition to deer cull
“We have, as human beings, created the problem of taking away the deer habitats with all of our
development,” Hanke said. “Since we’ve taken their habitats they’ve come into ours. But killing several
hundred when we have 140,000 people in this city who could figure out a better solution doesn’t make sense
to me.”
Anthropology Prof. Jennifer Robertson expressed concern for student safety during the cull, saying having
sharpshooters so close to where students gather frequently is dangerous.
“As we all know, students don’t necessarily pay attention to (warning) signs and they sometimes drink in the
evenings and play in the park,” Robertson said. “And it would be really terrible if something unthinkable
happens, if anybody got hurt, for example, by guns.”
As if to prove Robertson’s point, protesters spotted a jogger inside the Arboretum after hours. Although a
police officer nearby tried to stop him, the jogger disappeared into the woods.
Lisa Abrams, one of the leaders of FAAWN, said incidents like these also happened last year and demonstrate
how the city is not keeping its residents informed on the sharpshooters.
“(The students) didn’t really care (last year). They’re like ‘Aw, it’s not going to happen to me, it’s not going to
happen to me,’ ” Abrams said. “But, you don’t know. It’s not safe. And so many people aren’t aware that this
is going on, that the sharpshooters are in the parks.”
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Protesters march to Arboretum in opposition to deer cull
Abrams said FAAWN is placing citizen monitors at the entrances of all 13 locations to warn residents that the
cull is happening.
Monday’s protest was a continuation of a protest on Jan. 17, where protesters marched to University President
Mark Schlissel’s house.
FAAWN member Terry Abrams, said at the protest on Jan 17. the city’s “shoot first” attitude was illogical and
simplistic.
“I would say rather than starting with the most lethal option, let’s start with some of the basic options,”
Abrams said. “In other words, if the faucet’s leaking in your house, you don’t suddenly go in and tear out the
bathroom and replace it with a new one, but you try to see what can we do to stop the leak.”
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