The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Water, Land and Air Protection, has asked me to respond to your email regarding the proposal to reduce numbers of wolf and cougar on Vancouver Island.

Although there appears to be no shortage of deer in residential areas, black-tail deer in the "back-country" of Vancouver Island are at historical low numbers. Despite the absence of what may be considered prime habitat, deer are thriving in areas that are relatively predator free, such as urban environments and many of the Gulf Islands.

Active management of predators is one potential component of a deer recovery plan for Vancouver Island, and remains only an option for further consideration. The objective of this option is to temporarily reduce numbers of wolves and cougars over the short term to allow deer populations to recover and provide for higher and more stable numbers of prey and their predators in the long term. One of the main drivers of this option relates to our recovery efforts for the Vancouver Island marmot, an endangered species with only about 30 remaining in the wild. As deer numbers have declined, predators have switched to other prey species such as elk and small mammals. Marmot survival has been relatively low over the past seven to eight years, with predation accounting for about 75 percent of adult mortality. By increasing numbers of their major prey species (deer), wolf and cougar predation pressure on marmots will decline. We have a captive breeding population of about 60 marmots at present, and plan to initiate reintroductions back to the wild in the next year or two. This recovery effort will be put at significant risk without concerted management of the large predators.

Over the past two decades, research studies of predator-prey relationships have demonstrated that predators can indeed regulate ungulate populations in many ecosystems. And there is no doubt that the influence of man on the environment (habitat) has influenced animal behaviour and predator-prey dynamics; a major component of our deer recovery plan will address habitat management issues, including protection of old-growth winter ranges. The deer recovery plan should be available for internal review by senior ministry staff sometime this fall. At that time, reviews will be completed on the various options that may be brought forward and a determination made on subsequent requirements for public review and comment prior to completion of the plan.

Thank you for passing on you concerns.

Doug Janz, RPBio, RPF
Section Head, Fish and Wildlife Science & Allocation
Water, Land and Air Protection
Vancouver Island Region
2080A Labieux Rd
Nanaimo BC V9T 6J9
(250) 751-3217 (fax 751-3103)
Doug.Janz@gems2.gov.bc.ca <mailto:Doug.Janz@gems2.gov.bc.ca>

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