2,800+ wolves killed, $10M spent, yet 15 caribou herds remain at risk: Is British Columbia targeting wrong?

Since 2015, British Columbia has killed 200-300 wolves annually to help endangered caribou populations recover. Recently, the provincial government has proposed extending its decade-long wolf cull program by five more years in areas that are home to 15 declining woodland caribou herds. But according to scientists, the deforestation, not the wolves, is the main driver of caribou declines. They claim the province's focus on wolf culls is a short-sighted approach that will ultimately not even save the caribou population but also have adverse unintended consequences on the ecosystem, according to a report by Mongabay.In April 2026, provincial authorities in the region began engaging key stakeholders about the proposed extension under its Caribou Recovery Program. They talked to about 70 First Nations in affected areas, hundreds of landowners, environmental NGOs and others. According to a spokesperson from the provincial Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship and the Ministry of Forests, they are expected to make a final decision by October.If the proposal passes, the government will continue shooting grey wolves, the primary predators of woodland caribou in 15 areas with herd...