The BC Wildlife Federation believes that when predator control is conducted to achieve specific measurable objectives, such as to reduce the mortality of specific wildlife species or reduce depuration of domestic livestock, it needs to be done across defined landscapes that are coordinated, scientifically monitored and evaluated. The BCWF does not support predator control conducted through financial contests as they do not meet the above tests and they may do more harm than good by breaking up wolf pack structures.
The federation does not control the actions of clubs who have organized these types of tournaments. However, these actions are being promoted by local clubs because of frustration to inaction by government to respond and manage the changing predator/prey relationship across their landscapes.
An increase in the numbers of predators today combined with an increase in access, permits predators to easily hunt down their prey, reducing ungulate populations to abnormally low levels in parts of the province. The increase in access is provided by linear developments including roads, pipelines and seismic lines, as well as the reduction of forest cover. It is predictable that there will be more interactions between humans and predators such as cougars, wolves and bears because prey species have changed their habitat use, including moving into residential areas to avoid predators.
There is an imbalance of predators and prey owing to a lack of effective management of wildlife habitat and wildlife populations by the Ministry of Forest Lands Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.
The BC Wildlife Federation calls on the province to get serious about managing landscapes to maintain healthy wildlife populations.