Parksville city staff will write letters to the Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development and the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC) in support of the District of Oak Bay’s resolution to implement a moratorium on wolf hunting on Vancouver Island.
Oak Bay’s resolution requested the moratorium until a scientific, data-driven and evidence-based study could be completed. The study would re-examine the efficacy of unrestricted wolf harvesting practises and their impacts on resident wolf population.
The request for Parksville’s support came from a letter, dated March 29, from the Coexisting with Carnivores Alliance (CwCA), which was received by council at the most recent meeting on Monday, April 19. CwCA is a non-profit organization that promotes coexistence between people, bears, cougars and wolves on southern Vancouver Island.
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The letter read “we are concerned for the survival of the subspecies of Grey Wolf that live on Vancouver Island. In British Columbia wolves are killed by legal recreational hunting and trapping - the largest source of mortality for wolves. In many cases in BC, there is no limit to the number of wolves that can be killed daily. Wolves play an important ecological role as apex predators.”
“This brings to mind the rather tragic death of the lone wolf, Takaya, last year,” said Coun. Marilyn Wilson at Monday’s meeting. “He was actually shot by a hunter about two months after being relocated… I just think that it would be very nice to send support along for this. I believe in this and I think this is a good organization.”
Coun. Doug O’Brien offered his support for the Oak Bay resolution as well.
“I think it’s important that we stand up for wildlife that form such a vital part of our little corner of the world here,” he said.
Mayor Ed Mayne noted he would not be in favour of support since he believes the to do so would be outside the jurisdiction of any municipal government and should be handled by the provincial government.
Wilson made the motion for council to support Oak Bay’s request, which passed at Monday’s meeting.