ADFG Commish: Predator Eradication Is “Tool, Not War” On Animals

As the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has been criticized for fighting judicial rulings that prevented the state from continuing its predator eradication plans, which had eliminated predators such as bears and wolves with the intention of preserving caribou herds, ADFG commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang penned an editorial in the Alaska Beacon this week, defending his organization’s position on the divisive issue.

Here’s a sampling of what Vincent-Lang wrote:

Predator control is a short-term, carefully targeted tool for areas where predation limits prey recovery, in this case, the Mulchatna caribou herd. Once nearly 200,000 animals, the herd fell to 12,000 in 2019 but has risen to nearly 15,000 as of July 2024. Without such measures, Alaskans could lose caribou harvest opportunities for years.

Science supports the strategy

Those criticizing predator control often demand scientific certainty that it will work. Alaska’s wildlife management decisions are products of intense research, public opinion, and the law. Overwhelming evidence for the Mulchatna caribou herd, collected by the department since the program began in 2023, supports the conclusion that calf survival increased when bear numbers were reduced in calving areas — a critical window when most predation occurs. In the west Mulchatna, where bear control has occurred, the minimum count of caribou has had a dramatic 17% population increase since the bear control efforts began.

Despite popular misconceptions, predator populations aren’t being decimated. With intensive management, bears and wolves will recolonize within a few years. Bear or wolf populations have not been reduced to unsustainable levels, and hunting seasons remain unaffected. While habitat and disease sometimes affect herd numbers, predation is the main factor limiting the Mulchatna herd’s recovery. Predator control in 2023–2024 improved calf survival.

A rebuttal to fear-based claims

A July 8 opinion piece in the Anchorage Daily News claims that nearly 200 brown bears have been “poached” by the Department of Fish and Game. This is a gross mischaracterization. These animals were lethally removed as part of a legal, legislatively mandated intensive management program, following extensive population surveys, biological assessments and public processes. This isn’t poaching. It’s predator control grounded in science and law. ADF&G uses efficient methods to remove the animals quickly and humanely without undue suffering. When possible, the department provides edible meat to local villages, and hides and skulls are either loaned for educational purposes or offered at auction.