WHEREAS ravens are harming and, in some cases, killing newborn livestock; and

WHEREAS ravens are a protected species under the Migratory Birds Convention Act; therefore limiting the ability of municipalities to control the population; and

WHEREAS ravens are not recognized as predators under the predation compensation portion of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Damage Compensation Program;

BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby the Federal Government to allow municipalities to control raven populations in cases where they are overpopulated and are found to be harming and/or killing livestock; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that SARM lobby the Provincial government to expand eligibility for compensation under the Saskatchewan Wildlife Damage Compensation Program to include livestock found to have been harmed or killed by ravens.

Response from Honourable Lyle Stewart, Minister of Agriculture:

Saskatchewan offers the most comprehensive wildlife damage compensation program in Canada. Compensation is eligible on predation by coyotes, bears, cougars, lynxes, foxes, wolves, eagles, birds of prey, scavenging birds, raccoons, skunks, badgers, minks, weasels, or any other wild animal that causes injuty or death to eligible livestock. Compensation for losses due to ravens is eligible under the Wildlife Damage Compensation Program and has resulted in over $56,000 in payments to producers in
2012.