DAWSON CREEK, B.C. – British Columbia’s agriculture minister will apply
to have a controversial poison brought back on the market to help
ranchers stop wolves from killing their livestock.
“I share your concern about the loss of livestock to predators,
particularly wolves, and I’ve certainly seen the graphic evidence of
the damage that predators can inflict,” John van Dongen told cattle
producers at the British Columbia Cattlemen’s Association conference.
Van Dongen said the agriculture ministry would apply to the federal
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government for a permit to allow for the use of Compound 10:80 by
ranchers.
It is a selective poison for canines, such as wolves, dogs and coyotes,
and was removed from the market in 1998.
Van Dongen said B.C.’s water, land and air protection ministry turned
down his request to reinstate 10:80 but have it under strict control of
conservation officers. That’s why the agriculture ministry is applying
for its own permit.
Van Dongen said he has received a lot of anecdotal evidence from
ranchers of the increase of livestock kills by wolves and bears.
BCCA general manager Dave Borth said he had no firm statistics of
livestock lost by predators because many producers “deal with wildlife
predator problems on their own.”
