New study called 'Blood does not buy goodwill: allowing culling increases poaching of a large carnivore' highlights the culling permitted by the government that's causing more illegal huntings.
What may seem to be a heavy topic, is lightened by the use of Playmobil figurines. Thanks to Guillaume Chapron, co-author who narrates the video of Lego-like figurines, with his French accent. The 'short film' features the authorities, lawmakers, poachers and wolvpacks. In the 3-minute video, viewers can also see plastic rangers carrying shotguns and point them at the wolfpacks. It also includes sounds of the wolves and gunfires.
The study of back and forth
The researchers compare policies from 1995 to 2012. The gray wolf population in Michigan and Wisconsin were counted; including the constantly changing policies that occurred within the year range. Researchers then analyzed the comparison: when the culling was allowed and when it was not.
The study found that the population of gray wolf increase slowly by 25 percent when culling was allowed. The culls, however, was not the main reason. The biologists found that there were many poachers who accepted the authority decision as 'free to kill'. Since they perceived that wolves are out of control and undervalued, they found it less likely to get caught for poaching.
The currently implemented 'culling permission' should not be applied in all condition. It should only be used when there is a threat to human safety, which is actually quite rare.
What the authors want to say?
The government has not used science backed data when justifying the culling of these wolves. The video, it might look silly but it gives a serious implication for the wildlife authorities, according to the authors as reported by The Verge. The website also mentions how this sequence can likely be a title of horror movie, and concludes the presentation as 'adorable'
The finding is likely to get more debates in the US wolf management because it is already a controversial issue, that involves many sides from ranch owners, environmentalists, state wildlife, the feds and also the Native Americans.
