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By Oscar Venter Opinion Mon., July 2, 2018 How can we make sure we are protecting more of the spaces that wildlife need? This question is crucial as Canada’s federal government has committed in the next three years to protecting an area as big as the province of Alberta. This is a huge goal and one of the most exciting periods for conservation in Canada’s history. With such ambitious targets, short timelines and with 50 per cent of Canada’s wildlife in decline, the challenge will be to protect areas that are home to our most vulnerable species, and not just the places that happen to be the easiest or cheapest to protect. Today, protected areas cover more land than all the world’s crops combined. If you were to put all of them in one place, they would cover all of South and Central America. And yet global wildlife populations continue to decline. Here’s what’s wrong with our common approach to protected areas. Traditionally we have … [Read more...] about Size isn’t everything when it comes to protecting wildlife
Wildlife management journal
Make environment a priority
IT is heartening to know that 69% of voters consider environmental protection to be one of the factors that will influence the way they will vote. Having read the manifestos of both political coalitions, I am of the opinion that more specific, effective and convincing pledges need to be made. The actions of legislators and decision-makers are often inconsistent with their pledges. Some inconsistencies are pointed out below: Climate mitigation Both coalitions pledge to reduce carbon emissions by using cleaner diesel and petrol and increasing the development and use of renewable energy. Yet Barisan Nasional's pledges to accelerate the growth of the oil and gas industries, its Forest Economy Policy which focus is on income generation and not conservation and its proposals to build more roads effectively efface any good that its plans to introduce electric buses, switch to LED lights and create urban parks and recreational areas. Pakatan Harapan has pledged to promote the development and … [Read more...] about Make environment a priority
Most wildlife management in Canada and U.S. lacks ‘fundamental’ science, study finds
By Alex Ballingall Ottawa Bureau Wed., March 7, 2018 OTTAWA — A new study of more than 650 wildlife management systems in Canada and the United States concluded that most of them lack “fundamental hallmarks of science,” a finding that the study’s lead author said raises doubts about hunting regulations and animal protection in North America. Using a framework of 11 criteria to determine scientific rigour, biologist Kyle Artelle and his co-authors found only 26 per cent of the wildlife management systems include benchmarks to measure performance, while almost half — 48 per cent — do not publish information about the size of animal populations or how they are changing over time. The study also found that just 11 per cent of the systems publicly report how hunting quotas are set, while only 9 per cent of the systems are subject to “any form” of independent review, something the authors say “deviates … [Read more...] about Most wildlife management in Canada and U.S. lacks ‘fundamental’ science, study finds
13 documentaries on Netflix that will make you smarter about politics
caption A still from 2015’s “Under the Sun”. source Screenshot via PÖFF/YouTube If you feel like you want to binge on some Netflix documentaries but broaden your knowledge of politics at the same time, we’ve got you covered. Netflix has an array of political documentary shows and films – many of which are among some of the best ever made. The documentaries on the platform will sharpen your wit about everything from life inside North Korea and how President Donald Trump rose to power, to the politics of high-powered corporate greed and corruption. Here are the 13 best documentaries about politics streaming on Netflix right now: “13th” (2016) caption Sen. Corey Booker of New Jersey in “13th”. source Screenshot via Netflix What it’s about: At the end of the Civil War in 1865, the 13th amendment officially abolished slavery – but there was a catch. People who had … [Read more...] about 13 documentaries on Netflix that will make you smarter about politics
Many gates, no bars
Let’s see now. First there was watchgate, then we had copgate and now we have poachgate. Will the gates ever stop? No. Because this is amazing Thailand and we all know the elites don’t do jail time. MR PRe: “Lazy Thai attitudes”, (PostBag, Feb 9). Somsak Pola is complaining and wondering why the park chief is being praised for just doing his job in arresting someone so rich and famous for alleged poaching. Well, Somsak, the answer is simple: It has become so rare that people of great influence are actually brought to justice without having managed to “persuade” the people responsible MARTIN RI wonder if the alleged wildlife poacher, if found guilty, would receive a long prison sentence like that of humble mushroom pickers? When a cow jumps over the moon! AN OBSERVERIf it was up to me, I would take all the sport and trophy hunters, stick them in the woods and force them to hunt each other. Let’s see what big, brave men they are when … [Read more...] about Many gates, no bars