The College of the Florida Keys (CFK), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), cooperating veterinarians and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) collaborated to safely remove the Key deer from the College’s Big Pine Key property on Tuesday, following a months-long planning process led by wildlife professionals.
The deer — believed to be the last remaining on the property —were relocated to a nearby open habitat without incident. The college and USFWS will continue to monitor the property to ensure that no other deer remain.
To safely move the deer off the property, wildlife professionals individually sedated each deer using a widely accepted, standard method for wildlife capture and relocation used nationwide. Each deer was then moved to a holding area, where veterinary staff closely monitored their condition and confirmed they were stable and alert before releasing them into the neighboring habitat together.
“I assisted with the transfer of the Key deer from the prison site. The animals received a thorough physical examination before release. All the deer, including a 3- to 4-month-old fawn, were in excellent physical health. Each animal was also administered a medication to treat internal parasites and lice, common problems in all deer,” reported veterinarian Dr. Douglas Mader.
Mader has more than 40 years of experience caring for wildlife, including 29 years with Key deer, and has partnered directly with USFWS on the treatment of injured Key deer throughout that time.
USFWS led the development of the latest deer removal plan for the college’s 10-acre property, which is covered in dense brush and vegetation — including poisonwood— and 16 deteriorating structures that have made the site difficult to navigate. Wildlife professionals weighed several possible methods, with the deer’s health and safety as the deciding factor at every step.
“People have asked why we didn’t just open the gate and let the deer walk out on their own. In practice, deer that have grown used to an enclosed area with reliable food and water often won’t leave, even when there’s a clear way out — and an open gate also risks more deer wandering in,” said Nikki Colangelo, manager, Division of Classification and Recovery, USFWS Florida Ecological Services Field Office. “During our previous attempt to remove the deer, the thick brush, poisonwood, and debris on this property made it more complex to reach the deer and guide them out of the gates than people might expect. In evaluating other methods to remove the deer, we determined that sedation and relocation by trained and authorized veterinarians and USFWS staff were the best options to safely remove the deer given the challenges of the site and the deer’s instinct to seek cover when people approach or are nearby. We are grateful for the patience and expertise everyone brought to completing this mission safely.”
The agencies have been coordinating since January, with formal removal planning beginning in March. The timing was based on recommendations from USFWS wildlife professionals and cooperating veterinarians based on a number of factors including advising to wait until a resident fawn was old enough to safely leave alongside the adult deer. Throughout that period, wildlife experts and cooperating veterinarians continuously monitored the deer, confirming their good health and consistent access to adequate food and water.
The college has had a long-term lease with the state since 2021 to develop the site that previously housed the Big Pine Key Road Prison to expand educational and workforce training opportunities in the Lower Keys, in alignment with its mission, as required by the State of Florida. Located on Key Deer Boulevard, the property is zoned as suburban commercial and is not within the boundary of any refuge, including the National Key Deer Refuge.
Since the prison closed in 2017, the buildings and structures have deteriorated significantly, creating safety hazards that include partially collapsed buildings, sunken roofs, broken glass, exposed rebar, dangling wires, collapsed metal fencing and barbed wire concealed by vegetation. The college bears the responsibility of securing the site to prevent humans from encountering the myriad dangers on the property. However, securing the perimeter has presented challenges. The gate and lock were vandalized twice, and the back fence and side fences were damaged within the past month. FWC and Monroe County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the cases. The college has repaired the gate and fences, replaced the lock, installed security cameras and reinforced the fence line with rock to help keep the property secure. To help prevent future deer entry, the college is installing deer grates along the gates.
“The success of this effort reflects the kind of partnership we value with our local, state, and federal colleagues,” said Dr. Brittany Snyder, CFK interim president. “As we move forward to develop plans for this property, we remain committed to opportunities that serve our community’s workforce demands while respecting the ecology and character of the Keys we all call home.”
The public can learn more about the college’s Big Pine Key property, its future development and updates by visiting https://www.cfk.edu/bpk/.
