"17,000 Axis Deer Were Killed On Maui This Year, But They Just Keep Coming"

"About 50 axis deer crowded around the fence line separating Maui Nui Botanical Gardens and Keopuolani Regional Park, startling the gardens staff on a recent Thursday afternoon.

The threat posed by the invasive deer was alarming because the gardens serve as a seed bank and are home to some of Hawaii’s rarest endemic and native plants.

“One night, with a herd like that, and a lot of our garden would be destroyed,” said executive director Tamara Sherrill.

The appearance of deer on the outskirts of Maui Nui Botanical Gardens is a reminder of the difficulty in containing the ungulates despite the risk they pose to the environment, agriculture and public safety."

Thomas Heaton reports for the Honolulu Civil Beat November 19, 2024.