A Wild Year in Canada: A Look Back at Some 2021 Animal Wins

OTTAWA, ON, Dec. 21, 2021 /CNW/ -- As we step into a new year, the International Fund for Animal for Animal Welfare (IFAW) looks back on some key 'animal wins' in Canada in 2021 that have helped build momentum towards improved conservation and a world where both animals and people thrive together.

Some of the 'animal wins' in Canada include:

• Zero reported deaths of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales in Canadian waters. With only an estimated 336 whales currently remaining in this struggling population, the reduction in reported deaths is a hopeful and encouraging sign, and is thought to be driven in part by the implementation of reduced shipping speeds and fisheries closures in Canadian waters frequented by right whales;
• Canada launched a public consultation on the future of the elephant ivory trade in Canada on the heels of efforts by the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union, taking stricter measures to restrict domestic ivory trade and protect elephants from poaching;
• For the second year in a row, the reported number of seals killed during Canada's commercial East coast seal hunt remained at its lowest point in 35 years and continuing a steep, long-term decline;
• The Minister of Environment and Climate Change was specifically instructed by the Prime Minister of Canada to introduce legislation to protect animals in captivity and to work with partners to curb illegal wildlife trade and end elephant and rhinoceros tusk trade;
• For only the second winter since 2005, the strychnine bait program used to kill wolves in Alberta was not implemented. Both inhumane and indiscriminate, strychnine poison permeates down the food chain, killing and harming numerous non-target species including both endangered species and pets; and
• Over 150 dogs and puppies were rehomed as part of IFAW's Northern Dogs Project, a comprehensive dog management program implemented with First Nations people in both rural and remote communities across Canada

"Despite the ongoing challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, we welcome the successes that 2021 has brought for animals in Canada," said Patricia Zaat, IFAW's Country Director for Canada. "Continuing to drive meaningful change, both legislatively and in our personal lives, will continue to create the momentum necessary to ensure the critical long-term conservation of Canada's magnificent wildlife. We are grateful that IFAW has played a role in promoting such critical stewardship."

To learn more about IFAW and its ongoing efforts in Canada, please visit https://www.ifaw.org/ca-en.

About IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare)
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is a global non-profit helping animals and people thrive together. We are experts and everyday people, working across seas, oceans, and in more than 40 countries around the world. We rescue, rehabilitate, and release animals, and we restore and protect their natural habitats. The problems we're up against are urgent and complicated. To solve them, we match fresh thinking with bold action. We partner with local communities, governments, non-governmental organizations, and businesses. Together, we pioneer new and innovative ways to help all species flourish. See how at ifaw.org.

Contact: Rodger Correa
+1.202.834-6637, [email protected]

SOURCE International Fund for Animal Welfare