Northernlightswolf’s Weblog

A few days ago I was trying to reach the BC Minister of Environment office by phone.  I wanted to follow-up on a meeting that had been requested with the Environmnet Minister (first asked former minister Penner, got shuffled, and now asking Coell).  I phoned the environment ministry office 4 times in one day and did not get to speak to anyone who could represent the ministy.  I was phoning to arrange a meeting that was long overdue.  How do conservation groups and individual environmentalists get to communicate their concerns to the government and know that we are being heard and understood?

I ask who is accountable?  I was awaiting a meeting with former minister Penner, after dropping off about 4,000 signed letters to his office opposing predator control and knowing that hundreds more (at least) were sent in as well.  On October 23, 178 letters were faxed to BC Premier in ONE DAY opposing predator control.  I sent an e-mail to follow-up and request a meeting.  Campbell resigned.  Penner got shuffled.  Before resigning, Campbell sent the new environment minister Murray Coell an e-mail suggesting that we arrange a meeting.  I e-mailed Coell’s office my request to do so.  I snail mailed Coell’s office the request.  A few days ago I phoned to follow up on these requests, and could not reach anyone from the ministry of environment office the entire day.  22 environmental organizations have joined together to oppose predator control and let the BC government know their are other solutions….but how do we reach the decision makers? And do they understand what is at risk here?

When it comes down to it, one person can not always make a difference, but failure comes when they refuse to even try. Rudyard Kipling once said, ‘for the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.’ It is these wise words that provide insight to our most prominent dilemma: the lack of voting. To make changes we do need a coalition that will speak as one and bring the issues to our governing bodies, but without the individual there would be no movement at all.

 Especially when talking about voting, a majority of people say “well my vote won’t matter in the long run because I’m just one person”, but it is that mentality that creates a dead stop of constructive change. Every major influence in history has, from the root of things, come from one person. It was the idea that developed in the mind of one individual that grew and spread into the minds of others. If we look back to the past, equal rights, war, and conservation alike have all been started by one person. It was only after those individuals gained the support of thousands of others that their ideas were finally taken seriously.

 If we dissect Rudyard Kipling’s words a little further there is a clear, concise message. Without the individual there is no group and without the group, their voices will not be heard. It is essential for the progress of any movement to have an individual who will voice themselves and gain the support of their peers. Without the strong minds of these free thinkers, the supporting community will lie dormant and nothing will ever come of anything.

 So for everyone who thinks to themselves “what would one vote change,” just remember one thing: there are thousands of others who are thinking just like you. So if every individual took a stand and voted for something they believe in, more and more people are likely to do the same. Why sit at home and complain about a poor outcome, when we all have the power to change the world to our liking.

 From the staff and pack of the Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre, we urge you to make your choices known and vote in the next election. Make our government work for you. Choose biodiversity, choose conservation, choose a healthy future. VOICE YOUR CHOICE.

The day is August 5th. Set in the Northern Rocky Mountains, in the states of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. On this hot summer day, both the United States Sportsman’s Alliance (USSA) and a coalition of animal rights groups sat in front of Judge Donald W. Molloy, of the Federal District Court for Montana, to discuss the protection issues that faced the Northern Rocky Mountain wolf populations. What resulted from that heated debate was a supreme victory for wolves, but for how long remains to be seen.

 The judge’s ruling came in response to the management programs that had been set in both Idaho and Montana. It was said that until the state of Wyoming can aline it’s wolf management program with those of Idaho and Montana that the grey wolf will remain on the Endangered Species List until further notice. Idaho and Montana were considered to have adequate protections for the wolf populations under their plans. However, the Fish and Wildlife Services did not find Wyoming’s management plan acceptable and decided to retain Endangered Species Act protections for wolves in that state.

 It was this ‘cut-out’ of Wyoming that opened the door for Judge Molloy’s ruling. After the final rule for delisting the Northern Rocky Mountain wolves came into effect in Feb 2009, a coalition of animal rights groups sued the Fish and Wildlife Services, asserting that under the Endangered Species Act, either all wolves in a region are delisted or none can be.

 Judge Molloy understood the plight facing most wildlife that spread over vast landscapes. With animals that travel great distances, like the wolf for example, it is unfair and cruel to provide them protection while neighboring states, sometimes only miles away, do not. All the hard work trying to protect and repopulate these animals would be undone with a singe shot when crossing over state lines. And so, on Aug 5th, with Judge Molloy’s ruling to re-list wolves, the wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountain area now receive the same protection across those states.

 As a human race we live by our own boundaries, our own states and provinces, that are unknown to wildlife. Thanks to the insightful and understanding nature of Judge Donald Molloy, wolves in the Northern American Rockies now live by their own boundaries; territories unseen my man. Only then, with the freedom of travel, will wolves truly be able to thrive and preform their natural roles as a top predator.

 How long will this protection blanket the area? This is still unknown. The states of Idaho and Montana are working together to form a management plan for wolves in Wyoming that will ultimately negate the plan to keep wolves on the endangered species list. But for now we can rest easy in the fact that wolves can now live in peace with our neighbors.

What is lurking behind British Columbia’s new adage?  As the newest member of the Northern Lights Wildlife pack, I have the opportunity to learn about how wildlife is treated in Canada.  As I read, listen, and ask many questions, I am often appalled by what I learn.  One thing I’m still trying to get my head wrapped around is BC’s plan to save mountain caribou. 

The BC government has implemented a pilot program to increase caribou populations that includes culling and sterilizing wolves with a proposal to also kill them from helicopters.  In the pilot stage of this program they have removed bag limits from certain regions.  Since there isn’t a specific tag to hunt wolves this means anybody with a hunting license can go to these areas and eliminate an entire pack.  However, even though this program is in effect to save the caribou, in the Prince George region you can hunt caribou 100 kilometers away from an area with a no bag limit on wolves.  The government is covering their tracks by stating that predator control is only part of their plan.  Other parts of their plan include prohibiting timber harvesting and road building in 2.2 million hectares of land and closing 1 million hectares to snowmobilers.  However, mining, along with the roads needed for mining, is allowed in the prohibited areas and when you break it down 2.2 million hectares is only 22000 km².  Don’t be fooled by the government’s marketing skills! 

I’m glad they are recognizing human impact as a factor for the mountain caribou decline but they need to realize that it’s the biggest factor!  Therefore, they need to step back and grasp that killing all the wolves is more human impact that will disrupt the natural ecology of the forest.

Stay informed and spread the word!  Ignorance is not bliss.

Many Native American cultures have a healthy respect for the Wolf. We use to look up to them. We use to learn from them. We used to gleam with pride when compared to the  great top predator. Today your average person is terrified of the idea of bumping into a wolf. Many people would shoot a wolf before any signs of a threat. So when did it all change? When did we lose our respect and decide that the wolf needed to be extirpated?  What lessons can we learn from our ancestors?

 It’s not surprising that the First Nations saw the wolf as a significant animal. Both were hunters of which the survival of their families depended. The First Nations people were very aware of the many ways in which their own life resembled those of the wolf. The wolf hunted for himself and for his family. The wolf defended his pack against enemy attack, as the First Nations people defended their tribe. He had to be strong as an individual and for the good of the pack. It was a sufficient system of survival; and in the eyes of the Native Americans, no animal did this as well as the wolf. The Indian worked to be as well integrated in his environment, as he could see the wolf was in the universe.

 The hunter did not see the wolf as an enemy or competitor, or as something less than himself. His perception of the wolf was a realistic assessment of the wolf’s ability to survive and thrive, to be in balance with the world they shared. He respected the wolf’s patience and perseverance, which were his most effective hunting weapons. To say he hunted like a wolf was the highest compliment, just as to say a warrior fought like the wolf was high praise.

 The old ones tell us stories about our beginnings and of a time when human kind first came to live upon this Earth. It was the wolf who taught people the ways of living in harmony. It was the wolf who taught us how to form community upon this Earth, for wolves have an intuitive knowledge of order through chaos and they possess the ability to survive change, intact.

 So where did we go so wrong? How could our perception of wolves change so much through the course of time? Now they are believed to be a pest with little to no purpose in todays world. Many of our values still correspond with those of wolves, but as we developed with technology, we began to rely more heavily on simplicity, convenience, income, and mass production. It was no longer important to be in complete harmony with nature, instead to was our goal to take as much as we could before it was too late. We diverted our attention from survival to comforts. Although we still see the need to provided for and keep close bonds with our families, but instead of harvesting the bear minimum from nature we are depleting it of all resources.

 We use to look up to the wolf for guidance and inspiration, but now we look down at it as if the wolf were no more important than a pile of dung on the sidewalk. Some people say that there is nothing to be leaned from our past, but I believe that we can learn a lot from our ancestors. Our connection to nature and spirit were so strong that we would have defended it until death, however that is no longer that case. Now that same can be said about out couches and flatscreen TVs. Is it too late to reconnect with nature? Have we done so much damage already that there is no hope of recovery. Maybe not! Make your voice heard and support wildlife conservation. One voice can change the course of the future. Make it yours by voting in the next election and save your wildlife.

So, what progress have we made in our efforts to save bears? We say that we are “bear smart”, but are we really? British Columbia is striving to become a “bear smart” province, starting with towns and eventually large cities, by removing attractants to reduce problem bear incidences. But we have missed a crucial fact: everything that smells different will attract a bear. That means everything from dumpsters to restaurant kitchens are calling out to bears in the area to come in for a quick bite to eat. But the problem is we have set unobtainable goals for ourselves. It is impossible to keep every single smell that we excrete to confined spaces to eliminate that problem. But the problem does not just lie there. There is no consequence for those individuals who fail to clean up after themselves. A majority of those individuals see bears as an inconvenience or pest. At that point they shoot those bears to eradicate their ‘problem’. Now, due to cut funding, Conservation Officers are unable to enforce laws to makes sure those individuals clean up after themselves. Section 88.1 of the Wildlife Act of British Columbia states that conservation officers have certain steps to maintain cleanliness:

    1.     Upon first discovering attractants left out for bears to find, Conservation Offices issue a warning to the offender,

    2.     Second the Conservation Officer must then monitor the property to uphold cleanliness,

    3.     Finally, if the offender continues to disperse attractants a second warning is given.

So there really is no punishment for offenders to begin with, but due to cut funding those Conservation Officers are unable to contain and maintain attractants. Our efforts to become “bear smart” are negated because of the simple fact that there is no enforcement to those laws. Now it has become clear that other steps must be taken to keep wildlife wild. At the Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre we support the use of Karelian Bear Dogs to show bears that our territories and garbage are not for them. However it is considered harassment of wildlife to use Bear Shepherding under Section 78 of the BC Wildlife Act. Our government also refuses to look into this program unless those communities have become “bear smart”. So in the end we are going around in circles. There is no end in sight because we are fighting against ourselves with unobtainable goals and unrealistic solutions. Our only hope is that we soon realize that bears need our help to learn about a territorial divide instead of shooting them when sauntering into private property.

You can help by writing to our government and convincing them that we have only one solution that is worth putting time and money into. Support Bear Shepherding with the use of Karelian Bear Dogs to save our wildlife.

Rico deserves a good life....

Wolf-dog hybrids are still legal to own as pets in Alberta and BC to anyone who wants to have one….this is WRONG!  Every year we get more people asking us to HELP them, ie. “rescue” their hybrid as they can no longer care for it. 

This week we received an e-mail from an animal-lover who is trying to help a mostly wolf hybrid “Rico”.  Rico’s owner was leaving town for work, and gave away this loyal companion with no questions asked. He is three legged, -a farmer used a 22 gun to injure, not kill, Rico because Rico was too close to their cows.

 At Northern Lights we cannot take in these animals, as they would not be accepted by the pack that we care for.  So what happens to these canines?  Where do they go?  In BC we know of one place in Vancouver that tries to help, and a woman in Saskatoon is also helping with rescues.  Most end up at shelters where they are euthanized.  The best thing for Rico at this point would be to stay with his new caretaker…too often these animals are passed along from one home to the next.  In the USA there are individuals who have dedicated their lives and estates to providing a safe place for unwanted wolf-dog hybrids to live out their days.  Unfortunately, the quality of life offered is not always the best, as many hybrids need rescuing and few people are willing to help.  If this is a topic that concerns you, we are working on developing a database for information and looking into what more CAN be done.

Well, we attended Banff National Park’s annual Parks Management Plan Review on Oct. 29th, and were more horrified than 2 nights later when the ghouls were patrolling the streets.  The park superintendents were presenting to a panel of about 20 representatives made up of stakeholders, First Nations representatives, mountain guides, and environmental groups (only 2!).  The public were also invited to attend, however there were only about 20 addition bodies.  All attendees were presented with very vague ideas and candy-coated incentives with lingo such as “virtual visitors”.  However, the plan did nothing to CHALLENGE, or even address the biological concerns for the ecosystems suffering within these national parks.  Rather, the focus was on visitor enjoyment.  Will visitors “enjoy” seeing the LAST grizzly in the park 10 years from now, because the real concerns of the park were never addressed?

Another topic on the management plan program was “Managing Development to Enhance the Park Environment”  Does the park need to develop wildlife these days at the rate it is being lost to unnatural causes?  Indeed, filled potholes and the smell of asphalt were touted as “successes” within the park.  Along with the grand installation of new outhouses!  Jim Pissot representing Defenders of Wildlife was quick to point out that Parks’ only showed 2 topics on their report card that may have earned a B minus.  The wolves, bears, and elk would have likely given Parks and Banff superintendent Van Tighem a failing grade.

It’s a sad day for wolves in Idaho and Montana. Since May 4, 2009 wolves in those states were taken off the endangered species list. This however is more or less a bittersweet occasion. Of course we all love to see the wolf numbers grow here at Northern Lights, that means the numbers are growing, but with that comes the hunters. Idaho and Montana have declared it open season for these wolves. Starting tomorrow, September 1st 2009, the Idaho department of fish and game has called for the intentional killing of 220 wolves in the state. The wolf population in Idaho is an estimated 1000 individuals. This means the state wants to removes at least 20% of that population with the aid of hunters. Over 6000 rifles, bows, and poison pellets have been registered to take place in the massacre. Montana, although calling for a substantially smaller number of deaths at about 75 wolves, is following suit. The newly formed hunting season will end on December 31st 2009, just in time for mating season. With any luck the hunters will not wipe out all of the alpha wolves shattering any chance of repopulation. It just does not make sense to us here at the wolf center. In 1995 wolves were reintroduced to Idaho. Those wolves were brought from Canada in an effort to stabilize the ecosystem there. To us it sounds like the department of fish and game are undoing all the hard work that has been accomplished over the last decade. What is to come of the natural environment of Idaho and Montana? We can only hope that the public will to their senses and put an end to the killing of such an important part of the ecosystem.