Trappers as Conservationists

Trappers have long played an important role in conservation and responsible wildlife management. Working alongside biologists and resource professionals, trappers help support healthy wildlife populations, protect habitat values, and contribute to the sustainable use of British Columbia’s natural resources.

Wildlife populations are shaped by natural limits such as food availability, habitat, disease, and competition. When populations grow beyond what the land can support, animals can experience stress, poor health, starvation, and increased susceptibility to disease, affecting both wildlife and ecosystems.

Regulated trapping is one tool used within modern wildlife management to help maintain balance, support healthy population levels, and reduce the spread of disease. Through science-based regulations and ethical practices, trapping can contribute to managing species where overabundance or conflict may impact ecosystems, other wildlife, livestock, or communities.

Furbearers can carry diseases such as rabies, distemper, tularemia, mange, and giardiasis, some of which can affect people, domestic animals, and other wildlife. Responsible, regulated trapping can play a role in helping manage these risks while supporting broader conservation objectives.

At its core, trapping is rooted in stewardship — a commitment to healthy wildlife populations, functioning ecosystems, and the responsible management of our shared natural heritage.