Stopping the illegal export of Canadian wildlife
Friday, September 21, 2012 by: SooToday.com Staff
NEWS RELEASE
ENVIRONMENT CANADA
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Stopping the illegal export of Canadian wildlife
OTTAWA - Environment Canada wildlife enforcement officers launched a coordinated series of interprovincial and international border inspections in the summer of 2012 to look for evidence of illegal hunting of black bear and other species.
The operation took place in 29 locations throughout Canada.
Over 700 hunters and 125 fishermen were inspected while travelling between provinces or leaving the country.
The inspections resulted in 79 infractions.
Of these, 44 were related to black bears while 35 involved other species of wildlife.
Of note, officers issued 54 contraventions, 25 warnings and confiscated nine bear carcasses.
Various animal parts were also confiscated, including skulls, bear and seal meat, a liver, bacula and eagle parts.
Additional species inspected during the operation included wolf, bison, beaver, duck, mountain lion, deer and fish.
The operation was coordinated with provincial government departments responsible for wildlife enforcement, Canada Border Services Agency, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as the United States Customs and Border Protection.
While the operation targeted unlawful exports of all Canadian species, particular attention was given to the export of black bear.
Canada has one of the world's last remaining healthy populations of bear, which is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna.
Hunting, harvesting and trade are strictly regulated by provincial and federal governments so that bear species continue to thrive in Canada.
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