Save the woodland caribou would cost too much, according to Quebec

Archival Photo, QMI Agency
The minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks, Luc Blanchette, suggested Thursday that he would not do anything to save the woodland caribou from Val-d’or. According to experts, this would amount to condemning the 18 animals remaining to die.

Antoine Lacroix

Thursday, march 8, 2018 23:56

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Thursday, march 8, 2018 23:56

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Quebec was abandoned to save the 18 woodland caribou remaining in Val-d’or because it would cost too much. Experts from the wildlife denounce the beasts come to be sentenced to die.

Based on a preliminary report, the minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks, Luc Blanchette, said on Thursday in a video posted on Facebook that it would spend $ 76 million in 50 years to save the population of woodland caribou.

“These necessary investments are too important versus the probability of success, it is very, very low. This situation is sad, but it must be reasonable, ” he said, implying that nothing would be done to save them.

18 woodland caribou, therefore, should disappear in a few years, it would be a “failure” of the ministry, according to experts.

“We decided to let them die because, according to the ministry, it is too expensive. Me, I did not accept this decision and I intend to continue the battle for the minister Blanchette return on its intention, ” says Christian Simard, director general Nature Québec, a body ecologist.

It is a ” miracle “

For its part, the militant Henri Jacob believes that it is a “miracle” it remains today as caribou in Val-d’or, due to logging repeated for the past 30 years, mining activities, and hunting down there.

“For too long, they are stubborn to give permits for cutting down the forest, despite the many warnings concerning the decline of populations. We are witnessing year after year in a decline. They will never recognize it, but it’s been a long time that they were sentenced “, drops the president of Action boréale.

The decision to “abandon” the 18 caribou creates a “dangerous precedent,” says Pier-Olivier Boudreault, of the Society for nature and parks.

7000 other caribou

“I find that it only presents one side of the medal. They are throwing in the towel too quickly. They have no reason to take this decision without presenting an analysis of sustainability. Why not look at other scenarios ? “, he asks.

According to the quebec minister Luc Blanchette, ” it is better to put our efforts on the 7000 other caribou of Quebec, where we have a good chance of success “.

Photo courtesy

Luc Blanchette, Minister

“How could we trust him for the other, if he acts like that towards those of Val-d’or ? They allow for years of cuts to the detriment of the conservation of the populations “, concludes Henri Jacob.