Island's Roosevelt elk fall prey to poachersThe illegal killing of Roosevelt elk on Vancouver Island continues to pose a threat to a population already listed as being of special concern in B.C.
Two more elk were found dead near Nanaimo a week ago following a spike in killings last spring that highlighted a persistent problem on the Island.
“We have these areas, like around Port Alberni as well, where the elk are being poached at an unsustainable rate,” Zeman said. “The result of that is there’s no hunting for licensed hunters. So, in that case, the people who are following the rules and are trying to hunt sustainably are being punished by people who are not.”
“Given B.C.’s biodiversity, we are the most poorly funded jurisdiction in North America when it comes to fish and wildlife resources,” Zeman said.
And the effects are being felt all over the province, he said. “We’re seeing that in chinook salmon. We’re seeing that in record-low moose populations, endangered caribou, killer whales.
“That’s about a lack of investment in conserving our resources.”
As a result, conservation officers and biologists are stretched too thin trying to enforce ever expanding regulations. “Their job has become exponentially harder with fewer dollars to do it,” he said.
https://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/island-s-roosevelt-elk-fall-prey-to-poachers-1.24231189
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Topic: Poachers Kill Island Elk... Again (Read 2811 times)