BC's Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources is firing back at a Liberal call to abandon plans to allow hunting of moose calves and their mothers as a way to benefit caribou populations.
Liberal MLA for Nechako Lakes, John Rustad, says the NDP plan to okay the hunting of mothers and babies is based on the "misguided belief" that culling moose will reduce wolves, the prime predator of caribou:
" It's a flawed thinking. Wolves are smart, if they don't have moose to eat they will go out an chase the caribou. It just doesn't make any sense whatsoever to be taking this kind of approach."
Rustad adds moose numbers are actually declining in many areas, and efforts are underway to bring them back.
But Minister Doug Donaldson says while that's true, the plan is based on science, and hunting would only be allowed where moose numbers have increased:
" These areas that this slight increase in limited entry hunting will occur in are 2 areas. The Revelstoke area which has had a 55% increase in moose populations in the last 3 years, and in the Parsnip area where caribou are threatened as well."
Donaldson calls the concern surprising as limited-entry hunting of cow or calf moose occurred for a decade under the Liberals, and Rustad never raised his voice then.
Nevertheless Rustad urges residents to contact their MLA to call for an end to the practice.