MERRITT, B.C. — Wolves are taking a bite out of British Columbia livestock.
The B.C. Cattlemen’s Association’s 2014 cattle loss survey reported 553 confirmed kills by wolves and another 249 losses by other predators.
“B.C. is home to a great abundance and diversity of wildlife. Too much of a good thing can be a problem sometimes,” said Tom Eithier, the province’s assistant deputy minister for forest, lands and natural resources operations.
The problem is spreading across the province as wolves, bears and cougars attack domestic animals and elk and deer raid haystacks and crops.
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Livestock groups such as the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association want action now, and the government is looking for more proactive approaches to wildlife control, said Eithier.
Past government policy called for a light regulatory touch because the public wanted wolves protected and livestock owners wanted them gone.
B.C. agriculture minister Norm Letnick has announced the continuation of an agriculture-wildlife management committee to advise and make recommendations on wildlife management issues because the government has finally agreed something needs to be done.
As well, he told the BCCA’s annual meeting in Merritt that representatives from agriculture and the ministries of environment, forestry and agriculture will meet regularly to discuss wildlife problems and consider controls.
The province paid out $114,000 in compensation for verified losses in 2014-15, but ranchers and officials know many incidents are not reported. About 600 ranchers have taken courses on how to verify kills.
Compensation is only a partial solution, said Eithier.
“The crown certainly has responsibility, resource users and resources owners also have responsibility,” he said. “The question comes down to who pays. There are different schemes all the time that are brought forward.”
Rancher David Haywood-Farmer of Savona thinks wildlife is moving out of areas hard hit by the mountain pine beetle. The wood was removed and the habitat changed. Roads opened and the wolves travelled down them to enter new regions.
“It seems like the whole trend is from the mountain pine beetle epidemic.”
barbara.duckworth.producer.com
