In northeastern Alberta, woodland caribou are teetering on extinction because multiple human disturbances – most pressingly, the tar sands development – have transformed their boreal habitat into a landscape that can no longer provide the food, cover and security they need to survive.

The relentless destruction of the boreal has conspired to deprive caribou of their life requisites while exposing them to unprecedented levels of predation. Consequently, caribou in and near the tar sands are on a slide toward extinction; not because of what wolves and other predators have done, but because of what humans continue to do to caribou livelihood.

However, egged on by a rapacious oil industry, the Canadian government is scapegoating wolves for the decline of caribou by encouraging a recovery strategy centered on killing thousands of wolves.

This is a morally and scientifically bankrupt plan that is more about protecting Alberta’s industrial sacred cow (the tar sands) than protecting caribou.  In essence, Canada’s proposed strategy to “recover” dwindling populations of woodland caribou favours the slaughter of wolves over any consequential protection, enhancement, or expansion of caribou habitat in Alberta.

Wolves and caribou have become the latest casualties of rampant and unbridled tar sands and pipeline developments, including the proposed Northern Gateway project and the Trans Mountain expansion.

Raincoast was one of the first conservation groups to call attention to the “tar sands wolf cull” last September, with articles in the Guardian UK and The Huffington Post.  Please support our ongoing efforts to halt this disgraceful plan by making a donation to our Stop the War on Wolves campaign and by letting federal environment Minister Peter Kent how you feel about a tar sands wolf cull.

Thank you for taking action and your support.

Paul

Forward this story to a friend

forward this email to a friend