In this episode of Now You Know Politics, Kathryn Sussman talks with Liz White, Executive Director of Animal Alliance of Canada and leader of the Animal Protection Party of Canada about Canadian wildlife management and culling practices. Listen as Liz outlines why “management” came about in the early 1900’s in Canada, its pros and its cons, and the differences between government-sanctioned hunting, and culling.

Liz and Kathryn discuss specific examples of current animal “management” occurring in our country today, including polar bear management, the management of Canada’s wild horses, what Liz refers to as Ontario’s proposed “extermination” policy regarding double-crested cormorants, and the culling of wolves in Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Next, Liz outlines in detail the current situation of the use of the deadly and inhumane poisons strychnine, compound 1080 and sodium cyanide, intended to cull wolves but also unintentionally killing hundreds of unintended victims including Bald and Golden eagles, foxes, coyotes, Grizzly bears, skunks, ravens, lynxes, martens, fishers and other species.

During the interview Liz describes the gruesome method of death by poisoning that these animals endure, the other species that are killed in the line of fire, and how these poisons, although they are intentioned to be the last resort killing method of so called “pest” species, in actuality are used much more readily. Animal Alliance’s Freedom of Information reports (FOIs) reveal the explicit details of just exactly how these decisions are currently getting made.

«I don’t think we really understand what the impacts are of continually removing hundreds of wolves from the landscape in Alberta, continually poisoning other animals on the landscape in Alberta, to protect the caribou. I just think we don’t understand what the impacts are on the overall health of the ecosystem because wolves play a very important role in terms of maintaining a healthy ecosystem.» – Liz White

Now you know:

Be part of the change:

  • Visit the Wolf Awareness website for tips on how to take action to stop the inhumane practice of wildlife poisoning: https://www.wolfawareness.org
  • Participate in discussions and share your knowledge to educate your network on the effect poisoning has on a variety of wildlife, both intended and unintended.
  • Ask your MP to ban the use of strychnine, compound 1080 and sodium cyanide for the killing of wildlife.
  • Help us spread the word by sharing this podcast in your network!

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