On May 3rd, 2010, 16 environmental organizations joined forces to oppose the government's plan to kill more wolves and cougars in BC in the name of mountain caribou recovery.
On September 16th, 2010, the CWC met with Norm Macdonald, MLA for the Columbia River-Revelstoke area, for the second time about this issue. We wanted to let him know that since May, 6 other groups have joined the cause and there are now 22 environmental organizations signed-on to a letter opposing the plan to kill more predators in the name of caribou recovery.
The letter is addressed to BC Environment Minister Barry Penner. Working together, these organizations have created a public version of the sign-on letter, collected signatures online and in person and recently submitted more than 3,500 signed letters from people all over the world opposing this outdated practice. MLA Macdonald will be meeting with Minister Penner in early October to present the sign-on letters collected at the Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre in just over 3 months:
BC residents = 672 Rest of Canada = 1,525 International visitors = 1,308 TOTAL = 3,505
Signatures will continue to be collected.
The government grounds for killing predators are to help boost the smallest and most threatened caribou herds while buying time for the logged forest to regenerate. However, renowned biologists agree that the distributions of land parcels that have been protected for caribou recovery are unlinked and inaccessible. Given the habitat currently protected for them, many caribou herds would never reach a size that would sustain a stable population without killing predators for the next 50 years, if not indefinitely! This is NOT responsible wildlife management of the wolf, recognized as a keystone, indicator, and umbrella species
.
Despite this evidence, government workers have been trapping, sterilizing, and shooting wolves. Bag limits have been removed and hunting seasons lengthened. Tax dollars have been spent flying biologists in helicopters to find, capture, kill or sterilize and radio-collar wolves. These same wolves can then be shot by any hunter at any time. In order to save money, the government is considering shooting the wolves from helicopters.
Despite using tax-payers money to put these plans into action, none of the management plans, decisions or practices thus far have been transparent nor made public.
The 22 environmental groups as well as independent biologists argue that not enough low and mid-elevation habitat has been protected for the long-term persistence of mountain caribou. Protection from mineral exploration and commercial recreation needs to be implemented and enforced if caribou have a chance at a future.
In BC, caribou have been in decline for decades, while resource extraction and development has continued on land that biologists have long recognized as being critical habitat for mountain caribou. These 22 groups, independent biologists and thousands of individuals are all urging the government to stop using wolves and other predators as a scapegoat. They are adamant that other steps be taken towards caribou conservation, before predator control is even considered.
Recommendations include a halt on logging and road building in mountain caribou habitat, complete bans of snowmobiles in historical wintering areas, decommissioning of logging roads, and reducing the speed limit on the Salmo-Creston Highway, where vehicle collisions have already killed several caribou from a critically imperiled herd.
The letter is addressed to BC Environment Minister Barry Penner. Working together, these organizations have created a public version of the sign-on letter, collected signatures online and in person and recently submitted more than 3,500 signed letters from people all over the world opposing this outdated practice. MLA Macdonald will be meeting with Minister Penner in early October to present the sign-on letters collected at the Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre in just over 3 months:
BC residents = 672 Rest of Canada = 1,525 International visitors = 1,308 TOTAL = 3,505
Signatures will continue to be collected.
The government grounds for killing predators are to help boost the smallest and most threatened caribou herds while buying time for the logged forest to regenerate. However, renowned biologists agree that the distributions of land parcels that have been protected for caribou recovery are unlinked and inaccessible. Given the habitat currently protected for them, many caribou herds would never reach a size that would sustain a stable population without killing predators for the next 50 years, if not indefinitely! This is NOT responsible wildlife management of the wolf, recognized as a keystone, indicator, and umbrella species
.
Despite this evidence, government workers have been trapping, sterilizing, and shooting wolves. Bag limits have been removed and hunting seasons lengthened. Tax dollars have been spent flying biologists in helicopters to find, capture, kill or sterilize and radio-collar wolves. These same wolves can then be shot by any hunter at any time. In order to save money, the government is considering shooting the wolves from helicopters.
Despite using tax-payers money to put these plans into action, none of the management plans, decisions or practices thus far have been transparent nor made public.
The 22 environmental groups as well as independent biologists argue that not enough low and mid-elevation habitat has been protected for the long-term persistence of mountain caribou. Protection from mineral exploration and commercial recreation needs to be implemented and enforced if caribou have a chance at a future.
In BC, caribou have been in decline for decades, while resource extraction and development has continued on land that biologists have long recognized as being critical habitat for mountain caribou. These 22 groups, independent biologists and thousands of individuals are all urging the government to stop using wolves and other predators as a scapegoat. They are adamant that other steps be taken towards caribou conservation, before predator control is even considered.
Recommendations include a halt on logging and road building in mountain caribou habitat, complete bans of snowmobiles in historical wintering areas, decommissioning of logging roads, and reducing the speed limit on the Salmo-Creston Highway, where vehicle collisions have already killed several caribou from a critically imperiled herd.
On October 23rd take action for wolves through Earthroots' fax centre at http://earthroots.org/index.php/BC-Wolf-Fax-Action-Centre.html. You will be able to add YOUR voice to the growing opposition of predator control in BC. Before the date please visit http://earthroots.org/index.php/Eastern-Wolf-Fax-Action-Centre.html and show your support for increased protection of threatened Eastern wolves.
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