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Divided over wolf cull

A Castanet reader poll on B.C.'s controversial wolf cull has drawn more than 10,500 votes – and sharply divided opinions on the matter.

The cull involves shooting the animals from helicopters to save endangered caribou herds. It's currently on again in the Kootenays.

The cull has met severe opposition from environmental groups, who call the practice barbaric.

In a long weekend poll conducted by Castanet, 51.2 per cent (5,392 votes) of those who voted answered that wolves should not be killed to preserve B.C.'s caribou population.

An additional 5.62 per cent (592 votes) were unsure, while 43.18 per cent (4,548 voters) felt it's OK to shoot wolves to save the caribou.

Readers sounded off in the comments on the story and on Castanet's Facebook page.

Despite the voting being fairly evenly divided, comments were almost entirely against the cull.

“Barbaric!!!!” wrote sahali735.

“Why must 200 wolves be slaughtered?” asked Raymon Saunders. “If it is to save the caribou, please consider taking a little extra time and planning and have the wolves relocated to a more suitable refuge area.”

“Wolves and other predators should be protected, not killed. Predators are essential to a healthy ecosystem, including the wellbeing of prey populations. Culling wolves is inhumane and ecologically foolish,” said David E. Shellenberger.

“Stop the kill,” added Dave. “Man has NEVER been able to control nature, what makes them think this killing will be any different?”

“If the wolves are overpopulated, yes they will hunt the caribou to a lower population, but then many of the wolves will die out from starvation and the caribou population will rise. Nature has a way of working itself out. Let them be,” wrote Briana Walter.

Many seemed to agree further human “meddling” will only make things worse.

In the minority, those who support the cull.

“This is simple when you do the math,” wrote David. “Wolves will produce four to six cubs a year and caribou only have one calf. Culls are required at times to give different species time to regain numbers, this isn’t rocket science.”

“Wolves are thriving in North America. I would not want either animals to go extinct, so if that means remove some wolves then so be it. Wolves will over run and eliminate this species if left alone. Sometimes nature needs some help to survive,” said Kyle Jones.

B.C. aims to cull 200 wolves this winter in the second year of a five-year plan to save caribou herds. The herd in the South Selkirk area of the Kootenays has dwindled to about a dozen animals. The government took 84 wolves last winter.



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