Thanks to your enormous support through letters, petitions, and emails,
Joyce Murray, Minister of Water, Land and Air Protection, announced on
Tuesday that there would be no culling of wolves and cougars on Vancouver
Island in order to assist with deer recovery. This would not have been
possible without all of you! Raincoast is incredibly grateful for your help
with this important campaign.
But all is not won.
Murray has directed her ministry staff to provide recommendations on a
possible limited cull or sterilization program for wolves in areas where the
Vancouver Island marmot still exists. Apparently the Vancouver Island Marmot
Recovery Team is recommending lethal predator control as a preferred option.
There is clearly not enough solid scientific information regarding the
status of the wolf population on Vancouver Island for the province to make
an informed and credible decision to cull or sterilize these large
carnivores. Raincoast is pushing for the ministry to consider non-lethal
methods that discourage wolves away from specific areas (in this case marmot
colony area). Methods such as fladry (flagging tape) have been successful in
discouraging wolves from specific areas, and must be looked at as a first
option as opposed to culling or sterilization.
We respectfully ask you to help us again by writing to Joyce Murray,
congratulating her decision to oppose a wolf and cougar cull for deer
recovery, and insisting that she consider non-lethal methods to protect the
marmot colony area. A decision will be made in the first week of January.
Joyce Murray, Minister of Water, Land & Air Protection
joyce.murray.mla@leg.bc.ca
Fax: 250-387-1356
Phone: 250 387-1187
Leg Ass, PO Box 9047 Stn Prov Gov
Victoria BC V8W 9E2
Be sure to include your full name and return street address in your letter
or it may be ignored. Please send a copy of your letter to
greatbear@raincoast.org.
Please forward this message to your friends. For more information please
visit http://www.raincoast.org/action_centre, or contact Chris Genovali,
Raincoast Conservation Society, at greatbear@raincoast.org.
Thank you!!!
Raincoast Conservation Society
______________________________
PO Box 8663
Victoria BC V8W 3S2
250-655-1229
250-655-1339 (fax)