Sent: Saturday, February 15, 2003 10:59 AM
Subject: Van Is wolf/cougar murders
I am extremely disappointed with the decision to cull the wolves and cougars in order to protect the marmot. As an animal lover, all animals, I cannot support human intervention in a negative manner.
How do two wrongs make a right? In that I mean it was the logging that started all this trouble for the marmots. So now the marmots are losing their battle for survival. Why does that mean that the wolves and cougars must suffer as well?
Marmots are asleep for half the year anyway. Also is seems that most of their mortality is due to disease or not waking up from the hibernation. That leaves a pretty small window of opportunity for the predators. And what about the eagles? No one mentions that they need to be culled and they are listed as one of the main predators.
The shrinking habitat of all wild animals is of great concern. Wolf and cougars numbers are in decline anyway, isn't it arrogant for humans to think that killing more of them will help the marmot? In the case of wolves they live in family packs and the loss of a member, a mom, an uncle, a sister, a son, is devastating.
Instead of murder perhaps a true conservation effort will help the marmot. If they cannot survive in their native habitat for a variety of reasons then we need to find a suitable place in captivity for them to live. Only until such time as the ravages of logging have returned to a state where the marmots can survive without our help.
I believe that if we can help the marmots by rescuing them and not having to murder any other animals who have a right to be there, we will have evolved into the compassionate species that we are destined to become.
Please do not kill the wolves and cougars.
Lana Halme
Squamish BC