A coalition of thirty-five organizations, environmentalists, scientists, and notable figures have signed an open letter renewing a call for the British Columbia government to end wildlife killing contests in the province. Humane Society International/Canada argues that these contests, to accumulate points towards winning cash and/or prizes, do not constitute effective wildlife management; rather they “exploit misunderstanding and fear surrounding species like wolves and coyotes and are a transparent means to kill animals for fun.” Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of one of the signors of the letter, the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, states that these contests “betray the general public into thinking that a problem is being solved,” when the real problem, in his view, is not wildlife mismanagement but human intervention and industry “degradation of land, forests and waterways,” which prevent animals from balancing themselves.
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