Target: Environment Canada
Goal: Stop the Canadian government from killing off wolf populations because of wildlife disruption caused by tar sands development.
The expansion of oil and gas industries is causing a drastic decline in caribou populations within Alberta, Canada. Instead of acknowledging that development is decreasing the habitat for these caribou herds, thus leading to their declines, the Canadian government is placing the blame on the wolves. The Canadian government’s proposed solution is to aggressively kill off wolves in Alberta, rather than stop or slow any development in the area, which is the real culprit in the loss of caribou.
A report released by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) brings the details of this situation to light—even more disturbing are the methods for killing these wolves. The Canadian government will destroy wolf populations by either shooting them from helicopters, or poisoning them with bait laced with strychnine, a deadly poison. Strychnine works through a painful progression of muscle spasms, convulsions and finally suffocation—the entire process takes several excruciating hours.
The plan is to place these strychnine baits in known habitats for wolves, and let the poison do its work. In addition to killing off thousands of wolves, the poison will put at risk the lives of other non-target species that will either unknowingly feast on a poisoned carcass, or ingest the strychnine bait on its own.
“Culling is an accepted if regrettable scientific practice and means of controlling populations and attempting to balance what civilization has developed” says Minister of Environment Peter Kent. Kent also notes that thousands of wolves will have to be killed in order to restore this balance, which has been fundamentally disrupted by tar sands development.
The problem with this line of thinking is that culling is actually unnecessary in this situation. Wolves are not the reason caribou populations are on the decline—development and loss of habitat is to blame. Without viable habitat, caribou and other species will decline no matter what, even if wolves are culled as planned.
In fact, over the past five years the Canadian government has spent over a million dollars on poisoning wolves with strychnine, killing over 500 wolves so far.
Instead of this unnecessary, irresponsible destruction of wolf populations—an important species in the ecosystem—the Canadian government ought to be protecting caribou habitat. This is yet another example of profiteering by the oil industry taking precedence over preserving environmental integrity. Please sign below to urge the Canadian government to stop this wolf cull, and invest time and energy into protecting caribou habitat instead.
Dear Environment Canada,
The Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline is leading to the destruction of wolf populations in Alberta, Canada. The expanding interests of the oil and gas industries will indirectly kill thousands of wolves if something is not done.
Development in the Alberta area is shrinking natural habitat, leading to a decline in caribou herds. Instead of acknowledging that oil and gas development is responsible for these disappearing populations, Canadian officials are blaming wolves. Now, instead of managing development and preserving caribou habitat, the government is killing wolves in a misguided attempt to save caribou populations.
Wolves are being killed with strychnine-laced bait. Strychnine, a deadly poison that kills after hours of excruciating pain, will kill not only wolves, but other non-target species as well.
The fact is, without viable habitat, caribou numbers will continue to plummet no matter how many wolves are killed. Destroying wolves with strychnine poison is a cruel and unnecessary practice. Please reconsider the notion of culling wolves to save caribou populations, and preserve habitat instead.
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: FurLined via Flickr