CANADA'S GAME DYING OUT

Evening Star, Issue 18809, 6 December 1924, Page 15

CANADA'S GAME DYING OUT

Depletion of tho larger game animals, even in the deepest Canadian wilds, is a disaster that hangs over the heads of the present generation. This was asserted by Dr Rudolph Martin, chief of the division of biology of the Victoria Memorial Museum at Ottawa, before tho British -Association for -the .Advancement of Science at its recent Toronto meeting. Says Science Service's ‘ Daily Science Novas Bulletin,’ (Washington): “ Not only have hunters and trappers nearly exterminated many fur-bearing species to supply the markets, hut the breaking up of tho prairies under the plough has deprived many hoofed and norned species, like tho prong-horn antelope, the bison, and members of the deer family, of their pastures, and is killing off the species by preventing natural increase, A last refuge of many animals, and one which Dr Anderson believes should he tiicivs in perpetuity, is the Arctic. “ 1 A large area of Arctic and subArctic lands beyond the range of possible cultivation arc still occupied by large numbers of wild caribou arid a few remnants of musk-oxen,’ ho said. ‘ Tho Arctic can never be agricultural, but there is a probability of developing a domestic reindeer industry in certain districts, and attractive possibilities in attempted domestication of J;hc musk-ox. The economic advisability of replacing a valuable healthy and thoroughly adjusted wild stock by more expensively reared domestic stock in .remote districts is questioned. “ ‘ The proportion of the Canadian Arctic area which is actually suited ter pasturage ia largely problematical, and needs investigation rather than speculation. Tundra is not prairie, but consists mostly of mossy swamps or comparatively barren upland. Many extensive areas are rocky or sterile, and severe climatic conditions reduce materially the amount of vegetative growth on the limited fertile areas, so that a much greater acreage is required for the support of each animal than in more friendly regions. Population must necessarily be sparse ontsido of mining areas, and enormous distances from markets will prevent profitable commercial exploitation under present methods of transportation.’ “ Dr Anderson’s remarks concerning the Canadian Arctic regions apply with equal force to American possessions in interior Alaska, and to vast tracts in Northern Siberia, which can never bo cultivated, but must remain as permanent grazing lands.”