A recent ruling from B.C.’s Environmental Appeal Board (EAB) has raised questions about the definition of “hunting” and its implications on a wildlife biologist’s actions towards an endangered caribou herd in northern B.C. Doug Heard, a wildlife biologist and adjunct professor at the University of Northern B.C., has dedicated the last ten years to the restoration of an endangered caribou herd at Kennedy Siding, a critical habitat area for threatened woodland caribou near Mackenzie, B.C.
Heard’s methods of collecting caribou hair for DNA analysis were deemed unlawful. On November 7, 2024, he was observed by Ministry staff using a “cable caster” device to shoot clamps at a feeding station with the goal of obtaining caribou hair for research. While Heard possessed a permit for collecting DNA samples from hair and fecal pellets, removing hair directly from the animals was prohibited.
After appealing the permit revocation, the EAB, in a ruling issued on May 7, concluded that Heard’s actions constituted illegal hunting under B.C. law. The Wildlife Act’s definition of hunting encompasses pursuing animals with the intent of capturing any part of them, including hair, regardless of whether the animal is harmed or captured.
The province contended that allowing Heard’s actions to continue would set a dangerous precedent by permitting individuals to shoot at and track wildlife as long as their aim was to capture only specific parts of the animals. The EAB concurred, emphasizing that Heard’s permit only allowed for opportunistic sample collection in a restricted hunting area.
Heard argued that his use of the cable caster was less intrusive compared to his previous methods, such as dart guns and toy crossbows, which were deemed unacceptable by previous board decisions. Despite being eligible to reapply for a wildlife permit in May, Heard declined to comment on the ruling.
The case highlights the complexities surrounding wildlife research and conservation efforts, particularly in sensitive habitats like those of endangered species.