Wolves in British Columbia Need Our Help
“In pagan religions and systems, a spirit animal or totem is meant to be a representation of the traits and skills that you are supposed to learn or have.”
– Urban Dictionary
One of my spirit animals is the wolf. I care deeply about wolves and am fascinated by them. Although I don’t always have the wisdom to emulate the traits or skills that make them such an outstanding example of how individuals must work together to function as an effective group, I do have a rather unique…spiritual history with them, if you will.
But wolves aren’t just beautiful animals that happen to be meaningful to me; they are also a keystone species.
So when I heard that wolves in both British Columbia and Alberta are being shot from helicopters in a misguided attempt at caribou population recovery, I was horrified.
Morally, this practice is inhumane and unacceptable. Conservation-wise, it is ludicrous. And as upsetting as it is to view the images and read the articles and reports, I can no longer stick my head in the sand and just hope the killings will stop. Because if regular people like me don’t speak up, things won’t change. That much I’ve learned.
I am not a wolf expert nor a scientist nor do I have much knowledge in conservation matters – but that’s okay because there are plenty of outstanding scientists and experts in Alberta and BC who do know what they are talking about…and the resounding response to the wolf massacre is STOP!
If you would like to learn more about the issue, here are a few links to check out:
CBC News: Wolf cull will see animals shot from helicopter to save B.C. caribou
Pacific Wild: Take Action to Save BC Wolves
Wolf Awareness Inc: Timeline for BC Caribou and Wolves
Raincoast Conservation Inc: Running for Their Lives: Stop BC Aerial Gunning of Wolves
If you would like to write a letter (and send via e-mail or snail-mail) to the BC Premier, the Honourable Christy Clark, expressing your concern about the wolf killings in BC, please feel free to use the letter I sent, as a template (just add your own name & address at the top and sign it).
Here is the letter: Wolves in BC Letter to Hon Christy Clark 2015 TEMPLATE
And please be sure to also send your letter to the people listed in the cc’s.
On behalf of the wolves in BC, thank you!! Together we can make a difference.
Related blogs by Maryanne:
Please Help Stop Wolf Cull in Alberta
Maryanne Pope is the author of A Widow’s Awakening and the playwright of Saviour. She is the CEO of Pink Gazelle Productions and the Chair of theJohn Petropoulos Memorial Fund. If you would like to receive Maryanne’s weekly blog, please sign up here.
6 thoughts on “Wolves in BC Need Our Help”
Here’s an informative e-mail comment from the WWF Canada:
Dear Maryanne,
Thanks so much for your message.
We’ve been following the news of the BC and Alberta wolf cull closely.
While WWF does not currently have active conservation programs in the area, WWF does not support culls, and believes that they should only be used as a last resort when all other non-lethal methods have been exhausted.
What’s happening now in BC and Alberta is at best a Band-Aid solution for the area’s declining caribou population. Instead, we believe that more efforts need to be made to protect key habitat, both in BC and in other sensitive areas across the country.
We recently voiced our support of a caribou hunting ban on Baffin Island, and similarly, we’re advocating for better land use planning to ensure the native caribou populations and the environment they depend on stay healthy for generations to come.
You can read that here http://blog.wwf.ca/blog/2015/01/13/baffin-island-caribou-hunting-ban-short-term-pain-long-term-gain/.
Ultimately, for all species – whether coyotes, caribou, wolves or whales – WWF works with industry, government, communities and individuals to protect habitats from all negative impacts.
Here is an excellent comment received via e-mail about the letter to Hon Christy Clark:
Dear Maryanne,
Thank you so much for your email. We have been truly inspired the outpouring of support from so many concerned and active individuals like you.
The letter you wrote is wonderful. Please do stay in touch and we look forward to keeping you updated on our efforts up here.
From all of us at Pacific Wild, many thanks and all the best.
http://pacificwild.org/site/take_action/wolf-action.html
This is the response from Raincoast Conservation on the letter to Hon Christy Clark:
Hi Maryanne
Thanks so much for writing this. Can we remove your last name and personal details and post your letter to our Voices against the wolf cull page?
http://www.raincoast.org/2015/01/voices-against-the-wolf-cull/
Thanks so much.
Wolf Awareness Inc sent this feedback via e-mail about the letter to Hon Christy Clark:
It is a very good letter. Go for it. Many thanks for your efforts to speak out on behalf of the wolves.
Wolf Awareness Inc.
Through education, dispelling the myths.
http://www.WolfAwarenessInc.org
So glad you let us know and are taking a stand. I am against
the seal hunt and for that matter, any hunt. I first became
fascinated with wolves when I read Jodi Picoult’s novel,
” Lone Wolf.”
I loved Jodi Picoult’s book, Lone Wolf, Jennifer! It was excellent and really did a tremendous job of capturing the unique characteristics of wolves and wolf packs.
Maryanne