B.C. wants special permit to use wolf poison again

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Published: June 20, 2002

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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federal government proposed several months ago to increase the compensation rate from 80 to 90 per cent and double the maximum payment from $3 million to $6 million

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.”

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