Hi, Folks

Just a forward in case anyone is interested. Have a great Thanksgiving
everyone.

Diann MacRae
Olympic Vulture Study
Bothell
tvulture at vei.net


>Reply-To: denlines at den.defenders.org
>From: "Defenders of Wildlife" <denlines at den.defenders.org>
>Subject: DEN Alert: Protect Wolves and Cougars on Vancouver Island from
>Unnecessary Killing
>To: DENlines at defenders.org (DEN Activist)
>Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 16:02:53 -0400
>
>DEN Alert:
>Help Stop Unnecessary Killing of Wolves and Cougars on
>Vancouver Island
>
>Government officials in British Columbia, Canada are recommending
>the "culling" or killing of dozens of wolves and cougars over the
>course of the next three years. Officials claim that the culling
>must take place to assist in the recovery of the local black tail
>deer population. Wolves and cougars are being blamed for the deer
>decline but, in fact, a major factor behind the decrease in deer
>numbers is the loss of old growth forest, which is important habitat
>for black tail deer. Of 91 primary watersheds on the island, only
>six are left intact. What's more, 75 per cent of the island's
>productive ancient forests have been logged.
>
>
>WHAT YOU CAN DO:
>
>Send an e-mail to Joyce Murray, Minister of Water, Land and Air
>Protection and urge officials not to move forward with the
>unnecessary culling of wolves and cougars on Vancouver Island.
>Insist that alternative solutions to the wolf and cougar cull must
>be pursued in the Ministry's deer recovery program. Thank you for
>supporting the majestic predators of Vancouver Island.
>
>
>
>
>INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA THE WEB:
>
>If you have access to the web, simply click on the link below which
>will take you to the DEN Action Center web site:
>
> http://www.denaction.org
>
>
>
>If you don't have access to the Internet, please mail your letter
>to: Joyce Murray, Minister of Land, Water & Air Protection, Leg Ass't,
>P.O. Box 9047, Stn Prov Gov, Victoria BC, V8W 9E2, or via e-mail at:
>joyce.murray.mla at leg.bc.ca and lastly, via fax at: 250-387-1356.
>
>
>
>
>SAMPLE LETTER:
>
>Dear Minister Murray:
>
>As a supporter of wildlife and a resident of Canada or the Pacific
>Northwest U.S., I write today to protest the Ministry of Water,
>Land and Air Protection's decision to recommend the unnecessary
>culling of wolves and cougars on Vancouver Island. The ministry
>claims the cull is necessary for black tailed deer recovery on the
>island, because the number of deer has fallen from 200,000 in 1980
>to 55,000 in 2001. But, as prey has decreased, so have their
>predators. Wolf numbers have fallen from around 400 in 1986 to
>less than 200 in 2001 and cougar numbers have dropped from around
>750 in 1995 to around 350 in 2001.
>
>Wolves and cougars are being blamed for the deer decline but, in
>fact, a major factor behind the decrease in deer numbers is the
>loss of old growth forest, which is important habitat for
>blacktail deer. Of 91 primary watersheds on the island more than
>5000 hectares in size, only 6 are left intact 75 per cent of the
>island's productive ancient forests have been logged. Not one
>watershed on eastern Vancouver Island remains intact or is
>protected.
>
>I urge to reconsider your decision and instead support another
>alternative for the recovery of the black tail deer population.
>Thank you for considering my views.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>
>
>
>____________________________________________________________
>
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>___________________________________________________________
>
>DENlines is a biweekly publication of Defenders of Wildlife, a
>leading national conservation organization recognized as one of
>the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and its
>habitat and known for its effective leadership on saving
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>
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