Human Forms, Repent! Stop Killing Wolves And Leave Those Caribou Alone
“By looking at hormone levels in caribou scat, the scientists found that when humans were most active in an area, caribou nutrition was poorest and psychological stress highest. When oil crews left, the animals relaxed and nutrition improved.”
— The caribou herd in the petroleum rich oil sands to the east of the Alberta’s Athabasca River (which is my new favorite name for a river in the whole world) hasn’t been doing too well lately. The Canadian government has started culling wolves in the area to help. But this is wrong, says science. Culling wolves will only exacerbate the problem. Unsurprisingly, the better solution would be culling humans. Or, at least, keeping them away from the caribou.