AP photo
Who the predator, who the prey?
Sister Wolf, run fast away.
Hide your babies, the long guns come.
Run, Brother Wolf, I beg you,
Run!
You must think we all are blind,
we humans who are so unkind.
I cannot bear the thought of you,
in shock, at what we humans do.
My tears dont help. My love cant reach.
Earth's lessons it's too late to teach
us how to live upon the land,
guns all that some can understand.
I cannot bear the thought of you,
crazed with fear below the planes.
Run fast, my beauties. Flee the pain.
I pray that some of you remain
to start your families once again.
The B.C. government, with its consistent lack of wisdom, has given away vast tracts of the people's land to corporate interests over the decades, thus severely decimating wildlife habitat. In a typical knee-jerk reaction, it has decided the way to prevent dwindling caribou herds from extinction, at this late date, is to send sharp-shooters in helicopters to "cull" up to 184 wolves in the South Peace and South Selkirk regions.
Given the mindset of anyone involved in the decimation of B.C. forests, I am not surprised that Assistant Deputy Minister Tom Ethier, Ministry of Forests, deems the shooting of wolves from helicopters "the most humane way to remove wolves."
This typically short-sighted "solution" demonstrates this government's chronic inability to grasp long-term and nature-based sustainable stewardship of the land.
"B.C.'s plan faced immediate resistance from environmentalists, who condemned such mass culls as inhumane and ineffective, while accusing the government of ignoring the habitat degradation at the heart of the caribou's plight," stated Global News.
"The B.C. government has declared war on wolves", says Ian McAllister, conservation director of Pacific Wild. "The government has not moved to protect adequate habitat." On CBC Radio yesterday, he said "What is happening here is not the shooting of herds. We are killing families, of this highly intelligent and iconic animal."
"Habitat loss, not wolves, is driving the caribou decline," agrees Paul Paquette, of the Raincoast Conservation Foundation. "Caribou are on a long-term slide to extinction because of what humans have done."
A similar program has been in place in Alberta since 2006, with a thousand wolves being shot from helicopters or poisoned.
I have to ask: who is the predator and who the prey? Who is the more intelligent species? Sadly, I know the answer only too well. Goddess help us, for we clearly know not what we are doing.
To sign the petition to stop the killing of B.C. Wolves click here to go to Pacific Wild.
http://globalnews.ca/news/1775813/b-c-hunting-wolves-by-helicopter-to-save-endangered-caribou/
Oh, I so agree with you, Sherry. It is dreadful to shoot and kill all those wolves. So senseless. I hope something will happen to make them reconsider. Such decisions will be regretted later if they are not stopped.
ReplyDeleteI never really liked hunting or killing in general, so I can sympathize with you on this one Sherry. I think it is wrong for governments to push wildlife habitats aside for the sake of modern progression. This is where national parks and wildlife sanctuaries come in handy.
ReplyDeleteTerrible! I am in agreement with you, Sherry--your poem also pleads your case. Thanks. k. (http://manicddaily.wordpress.com)
ReplyDeleteWonderful song to the wolves over a terrible reality. It admires them, it mourns for losses, it's angry at humans, it marks these unbearable times.
ReplyDeleteYour poem made me feel close to these wolves and I was horrified when I read what was happening to them. In France, they are reintroducing wolves but the shepherds do not like it much as they fear for their sheep and the cost involved.
ReplyDeleteHowever fierce or wild, there are better ways other than killing. A pity the tendency for quick solutions make man 'wild' as the wolves! Great lines Sherry!
ReplyDeleteHank
Indeed.. We have a dwindling wolf - population here in Sweden too (actually it has been growing from next to zero). The opinion to kill them of is strong though, and here it's a constant source of conflict between cities (wanting to keep the wolf) and people in the countryside who want to have them killed...
ReplyDeletethey are such beautiful creatures.. it is terrible to shoot them..ugh...we take away their life territory and then need to get them out of the way...that makes me sick...ugh
ReplyDeleteHeart-rending!
ReplyDeletei absoltely agree with this
ReplyDeleteSadly this is happening all over the world and is especially repugnant in countries like Australia as well as Canada and other first world nations who cannot be forgiven for their one eyed greed.
ReplyDeleteThis beautiful piece works as well as a metaphor..we seek to destroy beauty we do not understand (on the whole) happy sunday to you Sherry..may those wolves always run
ReplyDeleteI can feel the pain and the hurt in this, i can only shake my head as we bow to the idol of money and power and forget the beauty of creation. Thank you for this.
ReplyDeleteSome corporations tried to rule the world and not thinking much of the environment. I feel that sometimes it's really difficult to reconcile what's happening on our world. Wish more concern for the environment / wildlife will be focused on.
ReplyDeleteits much like the deer population around here....there is the thinning each year...and traditionally we have thinned back predators as well...its sad for the wolf...but it also changes our ecosystem...which will effect us eventually as well....
ReplyDeleteread a cool book to my grand daughter...Look to the North... a Wolf Pup Diary... it was so cool to follow their growth... she is fascinated by Wolf's... maybe because it's my last name... life is fragile
ReplyDeleteThe poem reminded me of the plight of US wolves. A Minnesota Congressman is pushing to remove them from the endangered species list, due to a population spike even after an attempt to kill half the population in 2014. Now I know the reason, they are moving south because its not safe up north anymore.
ReplyDeleteluv your empathy for the situation of those wolves
ReplyDeletenice write, have a good Sunday
much love...
I have trouble hearing of things like this. There is so much irrrational killing going on. I feel so helpless. How do we combat the ignorance of folks who feel so separate from animals and other humans? Ugh. My heart breaks.
ReplyDeletePowerful and sad poem. I think maybe we need talk more about safe ways to spread the wolf's population...
ReplyDeleteStrong and sad.
ReplyDeleteSome people have very few clues about balance and reason.
Did you ever wonder whether the gov't is cold, calculated evil, or merely incompetent? I suggest the former! Long live the wolves!
ReplyDeleteYour heart is evident in your poem, Sherry. So sad. I second Loredana's words.
ReplyDeleteI addition to your heart felt empathy, the pace you've injected here is the stand out thing here, Sherry - a great representation of the 'fleeing wolf' that risks falling prey to the modern world... Great!
ReplyDeleteI follow animal rights pages on Facebook, and I saw a post about wolves.. Beautiful poem.. I feel so angry whenever talk about killing animals comes up, be it for 'sport' or 'conservation'..
ReplyDeleteExcellent argument Sherry! ...and a nice piece on it. We are so short sited as a civilized society that regardless of our accomplishments, ignorance continues to prevail.
ReplyDeleteThis is heartbreaking and so many times the decisions that are being made are so short-sighted in the bigger scheme of our environment and the sustainability of all life forms. You have expressed that so well here.
ReplyDeleteI can't stand what we humans allow. This is infuriating and heartbreaking all at once. The voice you give here is so important, Sherry. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThis, " "What is happening here is not the shooting of herds. We are killing families, of this highly intelligent and iconic animal." is exactly what I was thinking before I read your commentary and it's the part that kills me...they're families...just like us. So sad and I echo Mama Zen..."stupid."
This happens the world over, doesn't it, Sherry. The natural world does suffer.
ReplyDeleteThere's so much that I feel from your words, Sherry. So much heaviness that needed to be expressed. Your heart is a gift.
ReplyDeletethis is so sad, placing the decline of caribou herds on the wolves. :(
ReplyDeletei can feel your pain for these magnificent creatures in your poem.
I signed the petition!
ReplyDeleteoh, this touched my heart.
ReplyDeletei am in total agreement with this madness, the ignorance of destroying the innocent lives of creatures.
thank you, sherry, for being another kind soul to give voice for the voiceless.
the inhumanity must be stopped!
Oh this makes e cry Sherry! When will we learn?
ReplyDeleteDo run fast!
ReplyDeleteTake care of yourself!
those bleeping bleeping bleeping bleeps ~
ReplyDelete