Wolf cull stirs clash of ethics, pitting conservation against animal welfare in B.C.
A controversial wolf cull is ongoing in B.C. as part of the provincial government's strategy to protect the endangered caribou population.
Last week, singer Miley Cyrus posted a profanity-laced tweet calling on her fans to sign a petition against the hunt.
The B.C. government is standing behind its program. But some conservation and wildlife experts also doubt a wolf cull is the best way to protect caribou.
When it comes to stories of animal welfare in Canada, you can bet passions will be high. But decisions about population control are also rarely straightforward. And as it turns out, the discipline of wildlife management itself is in a state of flux.
- Tommy Knowles is the campaign director for the Wildlife Defence League in Vancouver, and has some specific concerns about this particular cull.
- Nathan Parenteau is chief of the Salteaux First Nations in B.C., says the cull is necessary because wolves are taking away important food sources — moose and caribou — from his people.
- John Vucetich is an environmental biologist at Michigan Technological University. He's also lead researcher in Wolves and Moose of Isle Royale.
- Stan Boutin is chair of Biodiversity Conservation at the University of Alberta. He also served as an expert reviewer for the B.C. wolf cull program.
This segment was produced by The Current's Pacinthe Mattar, Marc Appollonio and Rana Sowdaey.