Recently, WM received an email from a concerned individual, Rita, who wrote us to inquire about wolf bounties and use of poison against wolves. She had read an article about wolf bounties and, like all of us, was disgusted and in disbelief that humans could treat wild animals with such cruelty and disregard and contacted us looking for clarification. After a few back and forth conversations discussing the issues and facts, Rita was inspired to write a short story about the topic and has been sharing the knowledge with her senior high school English classes. Rita is a teacher and a published writer in the USA and has promised to "spread the word" about the horrific treatment of wolves in Alberta and everywhere. She is also an amazing artist and attached a wolf painting that she created. We could not help but to share her beautiful talent with you all and hope that it too inspires you to fight for the wolf.
Story and painting posted with permission from Rita Wilson.

Thank you RITA!!

All provincial bounty programs were ended four decades ago, but counties, municipal districts and other organizations have been offering them since 2007. Until now.

Recently, it has come to our attention that the government of Alberta has started a provincial bounty subsidy for registered  trappers in the caribou recovery areas. Paid for by tax dollars, it is alarming that the public was not informed on this, and ultimately it means that there will be thousands of more snares set causing a lot of suffering for wolves and other animals with no positive impact for caribou. Equally alarming is that the trappers are calling this bounty a "Hush hush program".

In the past, the Alberta government has gone on record stating that they don't support bounties, yet now, under a cover of secrecy, they are paying trappers to kill wolves with your tax dollars.

Here are some quotes from past articles and interviews that illustrate that the AB government did not support bounties:

"The Alberta government does not administer any bounty programs or use them to manage wildlife programs, said Environment and Parks spokeswoman Lisa Glover. Bounty programs are typically administered by municipalities or private land owners." (2015)
Full article HERE



"Dave Kay, commercial wildlife and priority species specialist with Alberta Parks and Environment, said the province is looking at ways to regulate against the use of wolf bounties by municipalities and hunting and trapping groups.
“It might be legal, but socially it’s really not that acceptable and we certainly don’t promote them,” said Kay. “We’ve had some discussions internally about how we can regulate against the use of bounties on wolves.”" (2016).
Full article HERE



"Alberta Environment doesn’t control wolf hunting and leaves it open to anyone with an in-season big-game tag. The department doesn’t keep records of wolves hunted or trapped on private land.

“We do not believe that localized private wolf harvest incentive or bounty programs pose a significant risk to the provincial wolf population, so long as wolves are removed according to existing regulations,” said spokeswoman Nikki Booth.
However, the fish and game association’s request for a provincewide wolf bounty is unlikely to be granted.
“There are no plans to develop a provincial wolf bounty program,” Booth said in an email." (2013)
Full article HERE


Once again, the Alberta government refuses to use sound science when it comes to the management of wolves, and once again, they are operating this management in secrecy. If this makes you angry or concerned, please let it also motivate you to speak up. Please write and call your MLAs over and over again. With enough people voicing their anger and demanding action, things can change. Please check out our section on BOUNTIES for more information and please view our video:

On Friday, January 19/18, Russell’s Privacy Advocacy Group and the Cochrane Ecological Institute (CEI)  organized a public forum at the  Redwood Meadows Community Centre to address concerns about the rehabilitation of wildlife in Alberta - mainly surrounding the fact that Alberta rehabilitators are banned from helping injured bears, wolves, coyotes etc in light of mounting concerns regarding the injured juvenile black bear that has spent months in a field along Highway 22. Speakers were supposed to include members representing Alberta Environment but they backed out last minute.

Regardless, there were over 150 people in attendance to listen to other panelists and to mingle with NGO groups present at the event, including Wolf Matters. We are extremely grateful to CEI for inviting WM to this important event.

We are also incredibly grateful to Wolf Matters team members Teena and Kim for sharing information on wolves and coyotes at the Cochrane Ecological Institute last night. What a wonderful event with wonderful people.

"Amazing evening with Danielle Smith (Global News Radio), Dr. David Swann (MLA) and Lisa Dahlseide B.Sc (Conservation Biology), we were there representing Wolf Matters, the primary focus of this event was to talk about "Schedule A" under AEP's wildlife management policy. This evening was so important if you were interested in seeing any change in how this policy discriminates against select groups of species - not based on science or research but on human decision! AEP in less than 24 hours before this event elected to change their position and not attend this event. I can only think it is because they have no clue on co-existance and compassion but are very good at "management by way of killing" - I know this because of a recent event that I was involved in and very dissappointed with the outcome of and I'm still embarrassed that I promoted!!! This little bear just north of Bragg Creek has opened the conversation and people are more committed now then they have been to see change and I am so hopeful. Last night left me with such a heartfelt feeling of spending time with people that are so in line with exactly what we in our own home stand for when it comes to our animals, domesticated and wild.....Danielle Smith and the panel was just wonderful "

Please continue to speak up for our wildlife, contact your MLA today and everyday until you get an answer.
Read the News Link here:https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/alberta-environment-a-no-show-at-public-forum-on-what-s-best-for-wayward-black-bear-1.3768104

Support CEI HERE

Do you live in Alberta? Do you know who your MLA is?  If not, we can help!

We must pressure our leaders to get involved in the issues that matter to us. If your MLA feels pressured by his/her constituents, then they will have no choice but to get more involved to represent your concerns!

We have talked to some experts about what can be done to change the situation in Alberta when it comes to wolves and their treatment/management and they all say that constituents must get involved if anything is going to change. Your MLA is your representative, call him or her and demand change.

STRYCHNINE POISON - PRODUCT UP FOR RENEWAL IN ALBERTA ON DECEMBER 31, 2017.



Despite being condemned internationally and banned in many countries, toxicants like strychnine and compound 1080 are still being used by the Alberta government on wolves, coyotes, and bears. The use of poisons has been widely criticized by scientists and by the general public as they
are inhumane, they are non selective, and they are in contravention of animal welfare guidelines. The agonizing death and frightening capacity to kill organisms in large numbers, places the use of poison in violation of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Wolf Manifesto and goes against the guidelines set out by the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC). The wildlife services and government use of poison has been long term, despite being dangerous and inhumane, as it is inexpensive and easy to use. The use of strychnine to control predator populations is biologically and ethically unacceptable and it is time that the Alberta government ban these dangerous toxins as other places have done.

Currently, Strychnine is coming up for renewal in Alberta and we have a chance to speak up and tell our elected officials that this poison needs to be banned. You can read all about strychnine on our poison page HERE. Please feel free to use this information to formulate your emails and letters or phone calls.

Please write/call

Alberta Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Minister of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry
Oneil Carlier              
Email:  Oneilcarlier@albertandp.ca
Tel: (780) 474-2415
Facebook: Oneil Carlier  
Twitter: @AlbertaAg   &   @oneilcarlier
Contact page: CLICK HERE


Alberta Ministry of Environment and Parks
Alberta Minister of Environment and Parks (AEP) Shannon Phillips
Shannon Phillips
Alberta Environment and Parks
Main Floor, Great West Life Building
9920 108 Street
Edmonton Alberta Canada T5K 2M4
Tel: 310-ESRD (3773)
Toll Free: 1-877-944-0313
Fax: 780 427-4407
Email: AEP.Minister@gov.ab.ca
Twitter: @AENV_SRD
Facebook: Shannon Phillips

YOUR MLA
Not sure who your MLA is? Find out HERE.
You can also call your MLA's office. If your call to your MLA is long distance, please dial 310-0000 then the area code and the phone number you would like to reach in order to receive toll free access.


Strychnine Expiry Date of Registration

Health Canada - Consumer Product Safety - Pesticides

Pesticides Label Search for Strychnine use in Canada

This is rather interesting - Health Canada Incident Reports on Strychnine that prove it has harmed domestic animals/pets and humans.

These MPs are part of this Outdoor Caucus are defeating the various animal protection legislation in the House of Commons. Per the Animal Protection Party of Canada:

"The IssueWe need your help to rid Parliament of the Outdoor Caucus. As long as the Outdoor Caucus continues to operate, it will be very difficult for those of us who want legislation that will protect animals in Canada. We know this because leaders of the Outdoor Caucus boosted about killing Bill C-246, the Modernizing Animal Protections Act. Bob Zimmer, Conservative MP for Prince George-Peace River and co-chair of the Outdoor Caucus stated, “We came together and defeated Bill C-246, the animal rights bill, where most of the people who voted against it are Liberals. It was a group effort…”
The presence of the Caucus is a threat to any animal protection legislation such as S-203, the Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act and S-214, the Cruelty-Free Cosmetic Act.  Voters and taxpayers are not allowed to know who of the federal MPs belong to the Caucus.  As Mr. Zimmer explains, “Membership in the Parliamentary Outdoor Caucus is voluntary. There is no membership list and MPs are not required to divulge their membership or attendance. This is by design. Many MPs want to be informed, but they don’t want their participation or attendance used against them politically.”
We need to expose these MPs and we need your help to do so.
Our strategy to get rid of the Caucus includes:

1. Direct activism of animal lovers across Canada
2. Paid targeted Facebook advertising and building on personal sharing and “liking”
3. Build sufficient ‘Likes’ and ‘Shares’ to garner earned media "

To find out more, please visit their website HERE

Our friends at Project Coyote need our help to share: KILLING GAMES ~ Wildlife In The Crosshairs has entered the film festival circuit where they aim to reach audiences across the country with facts and images that expose the hidden world of wildlife killing contests. Please note these kinds of contests DO HAPPEN IN ALBERTA as well. Please share far and wide. Trailer is not graphic.

"On any given weekend, some of America’s most iconic wild animals are massacred in wildlife killing contests. Bloodied bodies are weighed and stacked like cords of wood, and prizes are awarded to the “hunters” who kill the largest or the most of a targeted species. Coyotes, bobcats, wolves and foxes are common victims of these contests; children as young as 10 are encouraged to participate. "
Find out more here:http://www.projectcoyote.org/killing-games-wildlife-crosshairs/

This letter from the Alberta Government is in response to one that we sent a few weeks ago that:
1) Asked about the status of the Alberta Wolf Petition, where it stands, what happens next, will any changes be made in response, when can Albertans expect a new wolf management plan draft?
2) Provided details on alternative methods to those being currently used and a plan for how they could be implemented, including incentives for ranchers who already use alternative methods and incentives for those not already using alternative methods to start using them, as well as cost savings measures for the Government and ultimately tax payers.
3) Outlined countless success stories from Alberta and around the world that used alternative methods as well as supporting studies not only to be pro-active with livestock predation issues, but also in protection of habitat from numerous scientific experts.
4) Provided a tremendous number of studies/papers outlining the immense suffering of target animals, as well as animals considered collateral damages with respect to poison, traps and snares that leave absolutely no doubt to the reasonable mind that these methods are not humane.
5) Provided an incredibly in-depth, well laid out plan to include alternative methods, while acknowledging that lethal may be necessary in some cases but should never be the first go to, acknowledging that alternative methods will take work and planning and will not be effective 100% of the time as well as acknowledging First Nations people regarding trapping activities pursuant to Treaty Number 7.
6) Provided a lengthy, detailed account of the Public Trust Doctrine as it pertains to the issue surrounding public lands and the animals that live on those lands and where the current plan falls down in these areas and how it could be changed to truly take into consideration this doctrine.
7) Outlines how current methods that do not target a specific problem animal, such as poison, snares, killing contests, bounties impact and can actually increase the very “issues” they are intended to resolve and how managing by numbers is not only not supported by the scientific community, but nor can it be considered a reasonable solution, and it absolutely not humane.
In the reply from the Minister, she does not even touch questions regarding the petition or the new wolf management plan that was supposedly being drafted. Instead she simply says "The Management Plan for Wolves in Alberta identifies wolves as a valuable part of a healthy ecosystem and aims to ensure that wolf populations are self-sustaining.”
So would that plan be the one that is decades old and needs an overhaul so that will take into account current science?
The Minister goes onto state that alternative methods are are typically not effective but provides no evidence to refute all the supporting evidence provided to her in our initial letter to her department on the success of alternative methods. "Alternative methods are typically ineffective and can have significant negative implications.”
Of note here, the Minister does not provide anything to back up this statement regarding alternative methods typically not only being ineffective but more importantly she provides no information to support her statement regarding negative implications of alternative methods while completely ignoring all of the attached studies, success stories and viable, successful solutions that were attached to our letter regarding alternative methods.
Rotational grazing, electric fencing, supervision, husbandry, blocking access to habitat and restoring habitat just to name some, none of these things typically work? Just killing predators, that is the only thing that works and that works consistently every single time and gets rid of the issues for good? Interesting.
Now we are going to stop right here and say that it is true that non lethal methods do not work all the time. They will require planning and work in order to be effective and even then nothing is 100%. But let’s look at the flip side of the coin - lethal methods must also be typically ineffective otherwise why do we continue to see predation on livestock, increased wild canid populations in some areas where they have been heavily targeted, increase in predation in some areas, predation where there had been none or relatively little in the past and why have the caribou not recovered substantially in areas where wolf culls have been going on for years? So the Minister is not acknowledging the “negative implications” of the current methods of choice being used by the Government.
She nor her officials acknowledge the Hayes/Harestad study about recolonization where this lethal control has not worked in the past nor will it work now. The Hervieux study clearly shows that killing over 1,000 wolves in the Grande Cache area has not increased the survival rate of mountain nor woodland caribou. Nor will it ever succeed.
Finally, the Minister states that “Localized municipal wolf harvests do not pose a risk to wolf populations, as long as wolves are removed according to existing regulations.” In other words it’s okay to kill them because there are lots of them and yet the Minister offers no answer to our questions as to how many wolves there are at present in Alberta and how these numbers would have been arrived at.
And here is one more interesting thing, the Minister says as long as wolves are removed according to existing regulations. Wait a minute, what regulations are there for bounties?
Municipal wolf bounties are localized municipal harvests but time and time again the Government of Alberta has stated they are not involved with wolf bounties - Minister Phillips admits that they are being done under the approval of GoA supervision when she states they will continue as long as they are done under existing regulations - which are the regulation GoA establishes. She does not acknowledge that she can not devolve that authority down to municipal governments to manage wildlife. So what is it, is the Government involved in bounties, or not?
But really we should not be surprised by any of these comments from the Minister as she also proudly displays beside her smiling face, an instructional sheet on how to make and use snares on her website.
We would have actually had a lot of respect for Minister Phillips if instead of spin doctoring her reply with what she thought we wanted to hear, she had at least been transparent, come clean, told the truth and said:
We recognize that there are alternative methods that could possibly reduce the issues facing caribou and ranchers with livestock and the peer reviewed science behind them. That said however we would like to continue to base our decisions on outdated science if any at all and that we have no intention of changing anything to do with wild life in particular predators because it is too much work, will take too much planning, will include making changes to laws which we don’t feel like doing. We don’t really care all that much about the caribou and their disappearing habitat and are taking the easy route by scapegoat wolves so that it seem like we are doing something as we sort of have to otherwise we will have the Feds on our back, even though a study by the U of A determined that the wolf cull has done little to nothing to recover the caribou. In addition we don’t really care about the changing attitudes of modern Albertans especially those who signed the petition or have called and written to us. Basically it is just easier to let people kill wolves and coyotes so that’s what we are going to do.
You cannot believe what Governments tell you or that they are acting in the best interest of the Province or the people and certainly not the animals that share the land with us.
If you would like to join us in following up with the Minister on some of these and other questions here's here email address -AEP.Minister@gov.ab.ca
We cannot sit idly by otherwise, the lies keep happening, nothing changes and we get what we get.