A bear stands in the distant grass and fog to get a better look or maybe smell.

On the hunt for science in ‘science-based’ hunts

For years, British Columbia’s wildlife management practices, especially its wolf cull and grizzly bear hunt, have been controversial. In 2015, then-Premier Christy Clark defended the province’s wildlife policies, stating they were grounded in sound science. That, at least, was the claim. And not one unique to British Columbia. In fact, hunting in Canada and the…

Wolf stands in the intertidal zone amidst the rock and seaweed, looking at the photographer, Kyle Artelle.

New study casts doubt on scientific basis of wildlife management in North America, offers a way forward

A new study, “Hallmarks of science missing from North American wildlife management”, released today in the AAAS Open Access journal Science Advances, identified four key hallmarks expected of science-based management: clear objectives, use of evidence, transparency and external review. Combined, these hallmarks provide the checks and balances that give rigour to science-based approaches…

A map of North America and then in text it says, An assessment of 667 wildlife management systems across Canada and the USA found that key hallmarks of science were missing...

Applied Ecology: Hallmarks of science missing from North American wildlife management

A new study, “Hallmarks of science missing from North American wildlife management”, published by Science Advances [icon icon=”external-link”], challenges a widespread assumption that wildlife management in North America is science-based. Scientists from Raincoast Conservation Foundation, Simon Fraser University, University of Victoria, and the University of Wisconsin – Madison examined management documents relating to most hunted species…