Conservationist worried about copycats as wolf poisonings in Oregon go unsolved
CBC
After eight gray wolves were killed by poison in Oregon over the span of several months this year, conservationist Brooks Fahy says he's worried there's more slaughter to come.
"We're afraid that if there isn't a successful prosecution of this case … copycats will become emboldened and there will be more poisonings," Fahy, who is the executive director of nonprofit Predator Defense, told As It Happens host Carol Off.
A pack of five wolves were discovered dead in February, followed by three others over the course of the spring and summer — a loss Fahy describes as a "serious hit" to the state's population of about 170.
Though police in Oregon have remained tight-lipped about the details of their investigation, he believes "anti-wolf sentiment" in the Western U.S. is to blame, particularly among ranchers.
"What's driving it, they say, is predation on livestock," said Fahy, who believes the issue is overblown.
"Predation on livestock is miniscule; it's under one percent."
Wolves have proven to be a larger political issue in recent years.
In 2020, the Trump administration removed the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act, something Fahy says he and other environmentalists have been working "feverishly" to restore.
Some states have also passed legislation setting targets to dramatically reduce their wolf populations, including in Idaho, where the stated goal is to kill 90 per cent of wolves in order to protect agricultural interests.
"There's an anti-government sentiment attached to this, too," continued Fahy.
"Some individuals feel that the wolf represents the conservation and environmental community, and they resent that."
With the investigation into the poisonings ongoing, a reward of about $43,000 US (around $53,000 Cdn) has been amassed by several conservation groups for information that leads to a break in the case.
Fahy says the police seem to be conducting a thorough examination — though he remains deeply concerned about what he sees as a "serious, serious problem" in his state.
"We brought back wolves so they could be slaughtered all over again," said Fahy. "That appears to be what's happening."
New research examining the eating habits of the people who lived in North America during the Ice Age suggests they were skilled hunters with meaty, mammoth appetites.
In over 30 years of practice, Dr. Errol Billinkoff rarely saw a man without kids come into his Winnipeg clinic to get a vasectomy. But since the pandemic began, he says it's become an almost daily occurrence.
Elsie Yanik Catholic School in Fort McMurray, Alta., has been trying to build a teepee for a long time, according to the school's Indigenous liaison Michelle Janvier.
The Cree Nation of Mistissini and the government of Quebec signed an agreement to create the first national park in Eeyou Istchee, called Nibiischii Park, which translates to "land of water."
This story is part of CBC Health's Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven't subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here.
At 2 a.m. one morning in December, Mariah Gladstone asked herself: "Did I really just make a little gory buffalo butcher scene out of Sour Patch Kids and fruit leather?"
December isn't just about the holidays — it's also the time of year we get to enjoy what is often touted as one of the best meteor showers of the year: the Geminids.
A proposed deal that would see three tobacco giants pay out billions to provinces and territories, as well as smokers across Canada, has been approved by the companies' creditors, a lawyer representing some of the creditors says, calling it an important milestone in a lengthy legal saga.
With the Canada Post strike in its fourth week, Inuit and First Nations communities in remote areas are disproportionately feeling the strain.
Invasive species experts are asking those decorating for the holidays to check their trees, wreaths and garland for hidden pests.
Gilles-Francis Pone Shecanapish may not be able to talk about his experience being flown 500 kilometres to a psych ward, but his sister says the experience has left a mark on the 40-year-old who has severe intellectual disabilities and is non-verbal.