John E Marriott Photography@JohnEMarriott:
Your daily reminder that Minister Loewen has been blatantly lying about all sorts of numbers and ‘facts’ re the Alberta grizzly bear in his justification of the reintroduction of the hunt. He said on CBC it’s 20 problem grizzly bears/yr being killed. Not true, it’s THREE.
Larry Hoeppner@PCnonsense:
Lowen makes money from his rich american friends on guided trips that is the only reason why this hunt is going forward. There should be no guided hunts for grizzlies no one should be profiting from this. Shame on smith and the ucp/liberal coalition
Yvonne Dean @Frazzling:
Alberta women: We choose bears over men.
Todd Loewen: We’ll kill the bears.
“The loss of even one human life 
grizzly bearbecause of a grizzly bear attackhuman greed, corruption, garbage, selfishness, sloth and stupidity is one too many. ...”
Todd Loewen, Minister, Forestry and Parks @SandraHulleman:
Which UCP donor owns an outfitting business?
I just read. Surprise, surprise it’s @dtloewen !!!
@NatashaRSoles:
the minister himself does!
The Best@Idcaun:
And guess who will be choosing who gets the opportunity to hunt a grizzly bear? It’s actually in the changes made to the Wildlife Regulation. The minister himself of course.
Holly Hoye she/her in AB@hollyhoye:
Todd Loewen receives dividends of at least $5,000/yr from Red Willow Outfitting, which offers guided hunts for bears, deer, moose, elk, wolves, coyotes and waterfowl.
He has quietly changed legislation to allow hunting of problem bears. Anyone see a problem?
Curious (ie. completely expected) that the UCP would appoint Loewen the minister of Forestry, Parks and tourism. Indeed the alarm bells were ringing in February of last year.
Imagine if we had a Minister of Forestry, Parks, and Tourism @ElmeligiSarah
who was a resident of Banff and was an actual Bear Biologist.
Anyway, I don’t see problem bears. I see a problem Minister.
If I had to choose between a UCP minister and a bear, I’d choose the bear. Every time.
That would be neat.
@cherryredtoes:
NDP: choosing critic portfolios based on areas of expertise
UCP: choosing minster portfolios based on who stands to profit
Rugged Broad@ruggedbroad July 9, 2024:
As one of the private citizens who gathered signatures to ban the hunt 25 years ago, I’m…so fucking mad.
disordered@disorderedyyc:
Seriously?!?Does the UCP government think we cannot read the Wildlife Act changes ourselves?”hunting a grizzly bear” is right there!
Catherine Griwkowsky@CGriwkowsky:
The government issued a news release about the new bear program. A line that stands out:
“This is not a bear hunt.”
https://alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=90627FA92D516-F852-9BAF-A462F6C3D44224AC
ICYMI, here’s the earlier criticism from the Alberta Wilderness Association
Alberta’s decision to allow grizzly bears to be hunted again despite being a threatened species under the Wildlife Act is unacceptable and must be reversed immediately. The Wildlife Regulation was altered without public consultation or legislative review by Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen and published on June 29 in the Alberta Gazette. The grizzly bear hunt was suspended in 2006 after the grizzly population in Alberta dwindled to fewer than 700 bears on provincial lands in 2004. Grizzly populations have since been recovering, but human-caused mortality remains the leading cause of grizzly bear death. In 2021, Alberta Environment and Parks stated that the province had between 856 and 973 grizzly bears.
The changes to the Wildlife Regulation that enable the grizzly bear hunt, published in the Gazette, state that grizzly bears that are “involved in a human-bear conflict situation” or “in an area of concern” may be authorized to be hunted.
Human-wildlife conflict is a challenge that must be addressed by the appropriate wildlife officials. If a bear threatens human safety, appropriate actions must be taken by professionals, not trophy hunters. Although there are cases where bears may have to be euthanized, this should be a last resort that is only used when a bear poses an imminent safety risk.
Many cases of bear habituation to human food are caused by the actions or negligence of people, resulting in bears being killed. This new policy incentivizes people interested in hunting grizzlies to allow bears to become habituated, creating a hunting “opportunity.” Human-wildlife conflict can be tragic for both bears and people, and should not be viewed as an opportunity for trophy hunting.
Additionally, it is unclear what defines “an area of concern,” and therefore that term could apply to anywhere bears and people overlap. The presence of people and human footprint in bear habitat has only increased over the decades. People and bears share this province and we must allow them space to live and thrive on the landscape.
The province’s only human-wildlife conflict specialist retired in 2022 and was not replaced. This role focused on preventing conflicts between people and bears. Rather than enacting a controversial grizzly hunt, Alberta should hire regional large carnivore conflict biologists, which is called for in the 2020 Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan.
“Hunting is not an acceptable management approach for a threatened species,” says Devon Earl, AWA conservation specialist. “Grizzly bears have a very slow reproductive rate, and trophy hunting and fucking greed and cruelty by corrupt Alberta cons and UCP could undo all the recovery of the last decade.”
John Marriott, co-founder of the Exposed Wildlife Conservancy adds, “This seems like a short-sighted decision intended to appease Minister Loewen’s ties to the Guide-Outfitting and Trophy Hunting industries and lacks any public integrity. Why wasn’t the public consulted on this? Why weren’t grizzly bear researchers involved in this decision? The science on grizzly bears very clearly does not show a beneficial link between hunting and conflict resolution, so why are we risking grizzly bear recovery for a few hunters to have trophy rugs on their walls?”
…
Fred Stenson@fstenson:
Instead of hunting grizzlies, Alberta should enforce its own rules re: disposal of dead farm animals. Instead of calling for carcasses to be removed, some operators drag them off out of sight and smell. Bears are attracted. Then bears are in trouble.
Devon Earl@DendroDev:
A limited Grizzly bear hunt has returned to Alberta. Let’s be clear – this is a threatened species, and introducing a hunt is not going to reduce human-wildlife conflict.
- Many Albertans recreate in bear country, and value grizzly bears. Bears also deserve to exist.
- Science indicates that hunting does not reduce human-bear conflicts. There are several other approaches that do.
Decisions need to be based on actual robust evidence.
… The bear biologists don’t agree that this is the right choice.
Jimmy Craig@threepeaks74:
Cons aint happy unless theyre killing something
Dr. Luanne Metz@luanne_metz July 9, 2024:
Yikes the incompetenceOr cruelty and profiteering on the jobof the UCP grows. Grizzly bears are an endangered species.
This also looks an awful lot like a way to enrich the family business. Guess who owns a hunting guide outfitting company?
Brian Mason@bmasonNDP2:
Loewen’s business background goes a long way towards explaining this policy.
Jason Scott@JasonOnTheDrums:
Business background as a hunting outfitter.
No conflict!
Laurie Buckland@laurieinyyc:
And the fact there was no consultation about it indicates they knew there would be massive opposition.
Hugh Latta @bud_latta:
So “problem bears” include those which “intersect” with humans? So would a wealthy American trophy hunter armed with an assault-style rifle and being led by a local “outfitter” LOOKING for bears have the right to shoot one if they managed to “intersect” with it?
PaulaTheMorrigan. #ABResistance #DumpDanielle@TheMorrigan47:
The @UCPCaucus MLAs don’t even bother to hide their corruption and conflicts of interest. They are robbing Albertans blind and making life unliveable for thousands of others – right in our faces.Which is why Albertans are the stupidest voters – it was obvious voting for UCP would bring little but lies, broken promises, highway robbery, endless abuses and massive gifts for the ultra rich and polluters#EnoughIsEnoughUCP
Stephen@StephenNCC1701:
The UCP, Unbridled Corruption Party, continues to show that there is no bar too low for them to slither under. He already gets $120000 as an MLA plus another $60000 as a minister, plus he is allowed to accept unlimited gifts from lobbyists, Big Oil, etc, but still wants more.I expect wealthy killers offered him a massive “gift” to open up hunting unlimited “problem” grizzles again.
Colette Mandin@ColetteMandin:
Holy conflict of interest BatMan! How are media not picking this up?
Alberta Quietly Sneaks In a New Grizzly Bear Hunt, Trophy hunting returns disguised as public safety. Critics cry foul by David Climenhaga, July 11, 2024, The Tyee
Alberta has launched a grizzly bear hunt, the province said in a news release this week.
With the help of a new survey, a solutions-based org is building better services for survivors.
But don’t worry, the government also said in the same news release that “this is not a bear hunt.”
It’s “a measure to ensure the safety of humans and livestock.”
Well, as I’ve been saying for years, I’ve never raised cattle, but I was the agriculture reporter for the Calgary Herald long enough to recognize the smell of BS when I catch a whiff on the wind.
Now, you may have thought that grizzly bears were endangered — although technically, I guess, we have to say that they’re merely “threatened,” according to Alberta, or “a species of special concern,” according to Ottawa. There are thought to be about 1,000 of the majestic but scary creatures left in the province — the government boosts that number by about 100 in its release. Roughly 180 of them are safely inside Alberta’s federally run national parks. (Cue the Sovereignty Act!)
Last month, Alberta’s United Conservative Party government used a cabinet order to very quietly change the regulations to the Wildlife Act to permit “problem bears” to be hunted once again, something that hasn’t been allowed in this province for 20 years. All that is required now is that there be “an area of concern.”
Now, according to the news release, “to protect Alberta families and communities, visitors and agricultural producers, Alberta’s government is taking action on problem grizzlies responsible for the increasing number of negative interactions.”
While there in fact remain very few negative interactions, what form do you think that action is going to take?
According to the release: “Alberta’s government is creating a new network of wildlife management responders MAGAs? to help stop dangerous and deadly grizzly bear attacks on people and livestock.
Ex Alberta con MLA Ted Morton
When a problem animal like a grizzly or elk is identified, members of the approved network will help provide rapid conflict response times across all regions of Alberta. This response could include tracking and euthanizing a problem animal, while still following all rules and regulations already in place.” (As you can see from this, elk are also in the crosshairs.)Since when do UCP or Canadian Cons federally/provincially follow any rules and regulations, never mind all of them?
When dealing with Orwellian statements by the United Conservative Party government, in which obvious truths and their opposite are often reversed, a short glossary may be helpful:
- negative interactions: bears being bears
- wildlife management responders: hunters
- members of the approved network: hunters known and liked by the UCP
- rapid conflict response: hunters with four-by-fours
- tracking: hunting
- euthanizing: shooting to deathbut likely missing often, to inflict as much pain and power over the animals as possible, you know, to grow those little cowardly penises with power from the bears, and to be intentionally cruel, as is the Alberta con and their con friends way.
- all rules and regulations: “red tape,” soon to be removed by the minister of red-tape reductionya, cause UCP and their friends rarely if ever follow them
“We are taking a proactive approach to help Albertans coexist with wildlife through our new wildlife management program,” said Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen, part owner of a company providing guided hunts. “These changes demonstrate our commitment to ensuring Albertans can safelykill and torture wildlife at their pleasure, their high paying American and German pals too work and recreate throughout the province.”
“Losses suffered due to predation can be a significant blow to ranchers and farmers,” said Agriculture Minister RJ Sigurdson in his canned quote, coming a bit closer to what this is actually about. “This new program will reduce the number of losses, protect farms and help producers avoid conflicts with wildlife.”
Environmentalists, naturalists and conservationists were appalled at what sure sounds like an effort to dress up trophy hunting for friends of the government as a public service.
“If a bear threatens human safety, appropriate actions must be taken by professionals, not trophy hunters,” the Alberta Wilderness Association said in a news release. “Although there are cases where bears may have to be euthanized, this should be a last resort that is only used when a bear poses an imminent safety risk.”
“Hunting is not an acceptable management approach for a threatened species,” said Devon Earl, a conservation specialist with the association.
“This seems like a short-sighted decision intended to appease Minister Loewen’s ties to the Guide-Outfitting and Trophy Hunting industries and lacks any public integrity,” does anything UCP do have integrity? I haven’t see it yet said John Marriott, wildlife photographer and co-founder of the Exposed Wildlife Conservancy, in the same statement. “Why wasn’t the public consulted on this?ha ha ha, we know why: OUTRAGE! Lots and lots of OUTRAGE from ordinary Albertans, same as the response that happened when UCP Brian Jean inappropriately stuck his stinky meddling corrupt nose in AER affairs, and bossing them around to reverse their “No” on Ozzie billionaire Gina Reinhard’s Grassy Mountain super destructive mountain top removal polluting coal mine Why weren’t grizzly bear researchers involved in this decision?” (One reason may be that the province’s only specialist in human-wildlife conflicts retired in 2022 and hasn’t been replaced.)
“The science on grizzly bears very clearly does not show a beneficial link between hunting and conflict resolution,” Marriott said. He added, probably answering his own question: “So why are we risking grizzly bear recovery for a few hunters to have trophy rugs on their walls?”Because con politicos and their friends are ignorant selfish greedy anti science, anti enviroment, anti wildlife Cavemen and women
“Killing grizzly bears does not reduce human-bear conflict,” agreed Opposition environment critic Sarah Elmeligi, who unlike Loewen is a grizzly bear biologist with a PhD. “We know from scientific research that the best way to reduce conflict is to work with people to better coexist with grizzly bears.”
In a statement, Elmeligi accused Loewen of trying to frighten Albertans into believing grizzly bear attacks are common and the only solution is to kill the bears.
“This is just outright false,” she stated. “Killing bears doesn’t reduce conflict, it reduces populations.”
“A UCP minister is choosing to serve himself and his friends rather than Albertans who have spoken in support of grizzly bear recovery time and time again,” said Elmeligi, the MLA for Banff-Kananaskis. “This decision by the UCP government is not informed by science or scientific data…. Shooting your way out of wildlife management challenges is archaic and needless.”
The story has now caught the attention of foreign media, with the Guardian in the U.K. taking a break from its post-election coverage to explore the latest UCP depredation from Alberta.
Tweedie:
A lot of these bear human conflicts are caused by humans not securing their garbage, leaving fruit on trees, surprising bears and walking/hiking with unleased dogs.
sisuforpeace:
The only species that is a “problem” are humans.
Geoffrey Pounder:
UCP: “Alberta’s government is taking action on problem grizzlies responsible for the increasing number of negative interactions.”
Human-bear conflicts arise from faulty human behavior. It not up to bears to change their behavior. It is up to us.
1 Leaving out attractants: livestock, carcasses, and grain bins easily opened by bears.
Ranchers effectively bait wildlife and then complain about the presence of bears.
When you bait bears with food, is it really any surprise that they come and get it?
The usual response is to kill the bears. Unless we change our ways, we will have to keep killing bears till the end of time.
No such thing as problem wildlife.
There are only problem people.
Wildlife management is a farce. There is only one species that needs management. Us.
As man advances, nature retreats.
Over the decades, grizzly bears have lost much of their native range. Grizzlies once roamed across the prairies from Manitoba west. Their habitat is continually shrinking as humans invade and take over their range. Grizzlies are now reduced to a fraction of their original range.
“Wild mammals now represent a puny four per cent of the biomass of mammals on Earth. … Today, humans and their livestock, including pigs, cows and horses, comprise the majority of living mammal biomass — a remarkable 96 per cent. … The Living Planet Index now records a 69 per cent decrease in monitored wildlife populations including mammals since 1970.”
“One Number Tells a Shocking Story about Wild Mammals” (The Tyee, July 8, 2024)
https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2024/07/08/One-Number-Shocking-Story-Wild-Mammals/
My world has room for both wildlife and people.
“Roughly 180 of them are safely inside Alberta’s federally run national parks.”
Sample headlines:
Black bear death tally deemed ‘atrocious’
Nearly all black bears deaths in parks caused by humans
Grizzly killed on highway near Lake Louise
A deadly year for wildlife in Rocky Mountain parks
Grizzly bear destroyed after it chases 2 people up a tree
Apple-loving Bear 3905 killed on Trans-Canada Highway near Banff
Speeders blamed for killing six bears on mountain national park highways
More bears dying in Rockies
Train kills young grizzly near Banff
Female grizzly bear killed by train, two yearlings left on their own
Black bear cub killed by train near Canmore
Train kills two young grizzly bears in Banff National Park
Black bear No. 9 killed on tracks in Banff national park
‘Smorgasbord’ of grain found spilled along railway line in Banff raises grizzly issues
Critics claim Parks Canada, CP fail to address human cause of grizzly deaths
Mother of rare, white-headed cub killed Sept. 3 by train, cubs presumed dead
Rare white grizzly bear and two cubs killed in Canada in separate car strikes
Parks Canada’s failure to meet its mandate and protect wildlife is egregious.
“‘We are taking a proactive approach to help Albertans co-exist with wildlife through our new wildlife management program,’ said Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen, a part owner of a hunting guide outfitting company. ‘These changes demonstrate our commitment to ensuring Albertans can safely work and recreate throughout the province.'”
Aren’t bears Albertans? Who was here first?
Shooting bears after they get into trouble is reactive, not pro-active.
The UCP’s ultimate goal is to help Albertans co-exist with LESS wildlife.
“Not replaced since his retirement two years ago was the province’s only human-wildlife conflict specialist, Jay Honeyman, whose preventive work would be preferential to a hunt, said Marriott.
“Honeyman said the province’s grizzly recovery plan states there should be one large carnivore biologist who works specifically to mitigate bear-human conflict in each of Alberta’s 7 bear management areas, but since his retirement, there’s now none.
“‘I don’t know why I haven’t been replaced, what we’re talking about now is more REACTIVE — there should be more PROACTIVE systems in place, then we wouldn’t be needing to even talk about this stuff,’ said Honeyman, whose work included bear-proofing properties.
“‘We were making a lot of headway, but I guess the government’s priorities are different.'”
“After 18-year moratorium, Alberta grizzly bear hunt to resume” (CH, Jul 09, 2024)
https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/alberta-grizzly-bear-hunt-to-resume
“to ensure the safety of humans and livestock”
What would it take to ensure the safety of bears?
Danielle Boobe can’t ensure the safety of humans by knocking off bears. Hikers and hunters who walk into the bear’s living room are liable to attack. Especially if they let their dog off the leash.
Bears act like bears. Surprise.
“‘Unbelievable I survived’: Yukon woman attacked by bear speaks out” (CBC, Jul 08, 2024)
“Leegstra was on a run with her dog near the Pine Lake campground at around 10 p.m. that day when she spotted a group of bears.
“‘I was trying to give them space before my dog noticed, but she either saw or smelt them… and she took off towards them,’ she said.
“Leegstra’s dog was leashed, but upon seeing the bears it broke free and chased away two female bears.
“In a July 2 statement from Yukon Conservation Officer Services, a spokesperson wrote that arriving officers euthanized a bear that was present at the location of the attack. Three additional bears that matched Leegstra’s description were located and two more were euthanized. Efforts to locate the fourth bear are still ongoing.
“‘We recognize the public concern around euthanizing bears following a defensive attack,’ the statement read. ‘In circumstances like this, critical decisions are made in the interest of public safety and the safety of personnel.'”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/haines-junction-bear-attack-victim-speaks-1.7256750
If she was telling the truth, this woman did not have a good grip on her leash. More likely, the dog was off leash.
The result? Three dead bears and possibly a fourth. Thanks to our trigger-happy “conservation” officers for keeping us safe.
When it comes to justifying the slaughter of wildlife, all governments resort to Orwellian language.
UCP: “This response could include tracking and euthanizing a problem animal”
“Euthanizing” means giving a good death to. Killing bears is completely unnecessary.
“Euthanizing” is also the term used for putting down rodeo animals after the inevitable injuries sustained during risky rodeo events at the Calgary Stampede.
Those are not good deaths, either. Totally unnecessary.
Graham:
This seems par for the course for the micromanaging, gatekeeping smith.
I can almost see the smug look on her face should anyone dare ask her a question about this.
Blue Canadian Rocky says:
One thing I admire about the UCP is they don’t try to hide the excellent service their wealthy support base gets.
Want to develop multi-million dollar show homes in a horribly undermined wildlife patch and push further into the wilderness against the local population and councils wishes – GREEN LIGHT
Are you a rich Australian that wants to extract coal through acutely environmentally poisonous mountain top removal for export to China – GREEN LIGHT
Want to compensate for your pathetic manhood by shooting Grizzly bears with the flimsiest of excuses – GREEN LIGhT
Want to deforest vast tracts of land in Kanansskis Country & make huge profits despite public opposition and strong environmental reasons for Hmong doing so – GREEN LIGHT
The list goes on & on – the UCP run this province for the profit of a few at the expense of many.Same as previous provincial con gov’ts in Alberta and elsewhere in Canada, and Brian Mulroney and Steve Harper did (and his chub Pierre Picklehead will) federally. It’s the conservative politico way, rape the many to serve a few of their uber rich “donors” or puppet string handlers.
A Little Bird says:
This is literally why there is a Grizzly on the state flag of California, but none found in the state. The naked, arrogant, corruption of this government is STAGGERING.I blame Alberta voters. If you keep voting for corruption that abuses you, the abuses and corruption keep escalating. The job of voters is to discipline their gov’ts, and vote them out from time to time, as happens elsewhere in the world until tyrants like Orban, Putin, Netanyahu write/war themselves permanently into power (which Trump will do, and the Picklehead will copy – of course, Pierre’s not smart enough to pull it off, India, IDU and Harper will handle it for him, aided by Dark Money and polluters). Albertans stupidly and arrogantly refuse to punish abusive gov’ts (’cause their great great grandpapa ordered it so).
PointedSticks says:
As they are on all continents, maybe we need to deal with the most invasive species on the planet. Homo Sapiens.
Anonymous says:
On one hand the minister is saying nothing is changing except who is pulling the trigger. On the other hand this new program will help people deal with livestock and safety issues. Which is it? A bunch of complete B S. They dont even try to hide the corruption anymore.
Outrage after Biden administration reinstates ‘barbaric’ Trump-era hunting rules, Rules allow hunting practices that target bears and wolves, including pups or cubs, on federal land in Alaska by Tom Perkins, 7 Jul 2024, The Guardian
The Biden administration has reinstated controversial Trump-era rules allowing what critics say are “barbaric” hunting practices that target bears and wolves, including pups or cubs, on federal land in Alaska.
Sport ??? or cruelty addicted? hunters use the practices, like killing young in their dens, to eliminate predators of caribou, which are considered trophy animals. The killings are probably decimating predator populations on federal Alaskan preserves, said Jeff Ruch, Pacific director with Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.
The rules come after the Obama administration in 2015 had banned a range of the controversial practices. The Trump administration’s National Park Service (NPS) undid the Obama rules in its final year, and the Biden administration had proposed reinstating the Obama rules.
But it largely re-published the Trump rules, generating dismay and outrage among some environmental groups.Biden sacrificing cubs and pups, desperately chasing MAGA votes?
“This was [the Biden administration’s] attempt to undo the largest damage the Trump administration’s NPS had done and they whiffed at it, and for reasons that aren’t at all clear,” Ruch said. “It’s disappointing because it’s exactly contrary to what they proposed several years ago.”
Among other practices, the new rules permit: the killing of wolf and coyote pups in dens; the use of artificial light or dogs to draw bears or wolves and their young out of caves; and using motorboats to kill swimming caribou.
The new rules reinstated a ban on “bear baiting” in which food is used to attract bears that are shot as they approach the bait. Ruch said the Biden administration banned the practice not out of concern for the animals, but because it caused bears to see humans as a food source, which created a safety risk.
Not everyone is in opposition to the hunting practices. An exemption allowed local Native American tribes to use them for subsistence hunting. Some of the tribes’ urban members were not exempt from the Obama rules, Ruch said, so tribes opposed them, but it’s unclear how much that factored into the decision making.
The NPS offered only vague insight into its decision to allow the controversial practices, writing that it “determined it is not necessary at this time … [but] may reconsider whether this policy statement should be incorporated into regulatory provisions in the future”.
Ruch said the failure to fully explain a rationale for the rules is part of a larger issue at the Biden park service.
“What’s going on over there, and who’s making the decision and why, is completely unclear,” he said.
A park service spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment.
Meanwhile, there’s evidence that the practices are probably not an effective way to increase caribou populationsNo fucking kidding!, and PEER facilitated a letter from 71 academic and government biologists who argued for reimplementing the Obama rules. Federal lands are especially important for wildlife in Alaska, where the state GOP has gutted hunting regulations and predator populations have suffered.
“[The park service] has a special responsibility to maintain these conditions in the national interest,” the biologists wrote.
The government does not closely track the populations, so how many of the predators are killed annually, or remain on federal lands is unknown. There is evidence that some populations are dwindling, Ruch said. Among hunters’ most common targets are the wolves in Denali national park, which are a tourist attraction and emblematic of Alaskan wildlife.All my life, I’ve been horrified that humans are allowed in national parks in any country of the world. Makes no sense. But the longer I live, the more I think humans have zero sense and are mostly filled with cruelty, stupidity and greed.
Tourists on organized viewing trips used to see the wolves over 60% of the time, but now do only around 5%, Ruch said.
The practice “is designed to eradicate the predator populations”.
“Why else would you go with lights into a bear den?” he asked. “This is the opposite of fair chase.”
Ruch noted that environmental groups are exploring their legal options. A lawsuit followed the implementation of the Trump rules, which a judge invalidated.
The court placed a stay on the rules’ undoing for two years, but now that the Biden administration has published rules that many environmental groups still oppose, Ruch says another round of litigation seems likely.
“There’s no sport in this, it’s not for trophy or meat, it’s meant to reduce the predator numbers so that [caribou populations] are arguably increasedso that cruel stupid ego loaded humans can kill caribou by motorized boat, some “hunters”,” he added.