‘This little gal’: B.C. man reportedly fired for rescuing moose calf in work truck
If Mark Skedge can turn back the clock, he said he would rescue a young moose calf, “Misty,” from the side of a highway in northern British Columbia in early June.
A Fort Nelson man, an experienced outdoor enthusiast, said he found the calf, unaccompanied by its mother, on June 6 after driving about five and a half hours north on the Alaska Highway. .
He took “this little girl” back to a farm in town, and eventually the BC Conservation Officers (COS) succeeded in taking her to a licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility south of Dawson Creek. .
But his efforts involving the use of work trucks have now left him without a job, Skaj told Global News on Saturday.
“I believe that in this world we need to stand by our values and beliefs and do what we think is right regardless of the consequences,” he said.
“The moose was not harmed, the company’s pickup truck was not harmed, and no one else was harmed along the way.”
A moose cub, affectionately named “Misty,” is seen in Mark Skedge’s work truck north of Fort Nelson, British Columbia, around June 6, 2023.
Facebook/Mark Skedge
Sukezi’s story received a lot of attention on social media. In a July 4 post, he shared photos and videos of the calves and announced that his employment had been terminated for taking the calves back to Fort Nelson in a work truck.
Sukeji said when he first saw the calf, he initially stopped the car to scare him back into the bush, but the calf approached across the road and expressed interest in getting into the car. It looked like His video shows a calf crossing a highway, walking to an open car door, poking his head in and asking, “Where’s Mom?”
Shortly after that, Sukeji said he noticed an Asian black bear in the direction the calf had come from, and that his attitude changed from then on, saying, “I have to help him.”
“I didn’t want to go out anymore,” he explained. “She came to me and I decided to answer the phone.”
As soon as Skadi drove Misty to an area with cell phone service, he said the first call was to BC COS and the second was to his boss to let them know what had happened.
He lost his tank technician job a little over a week later, he said.
His employer, AFD Petroleum, issued an emailed statement saying that two-way video from inside the work truck showed no signs of bears in the area and that Skadi was exhaustively searching for his mother and calves. Said it didn’t show up.
The video, shared by Global News, shows Sukezi picking up the elk and loading it onto a truck, and includes an audio recording of Skazi calling an acquaintance about the calf.
“AFD deeply regrets that personnel matters have become part of the public record, but I am compelled, on behalf of the team, to respond specifically to the allegations made by former employees.” company president Dale Rymer wrote.
“We take our obligations to wildlife and the natural environment very seriously.
Reimer claims that, contrary to Mr. Skage’s statement, Mr. Skage did not contact the COS, and that all AFD personnel are entitled to training in personnel policies and procedures, including procedures for interacting with wildlife. said it was obligatory.
After completing the training, Sukaji “understood that he was behaving inappropriately.” Reimer said his dismissal was the result of “a series of workplace incidents that culminated in this incident.”
“We are working with relevant state authorities and will provide any information they need, including interactive video footage of the incident taken from an employee’s vehicle,” he wrote.
In an email, the BC COS confirmed it was investigating the “suspected illegal possession of elk calves near Fort Nelson.” The calf is still at the Fort Nelson Rehabilitation Center, he added.
“The person was advised about the legality of possessing live wild animals,” it reads.
“COS received second RAPP [Report All Poachers and Polluters] I will report on this incident this week. A subsequent investigation was launched based on the new information. ”
Due to the ongoing investigation, we are unable to comment further.
According to the BC Wildlife Act, it is illegal to possess or transport wild animals without a license or permit or outside the circumstances permitted by law.
Sukezi said he knew the rules, but he did what he believed to be “more advanced”. In other situations, he added, he knew that “sometimes it would be more effective and more profitable to leave those creatures alone.”
“Even if they think I’m not doing anything right at all, I think they understand that what I did wasn’t malicious and my intention was just to help. said Cage.
He said he knew the trucks had two-way cameras, but he disagreed with the allegations that they endangered him, animals on the road and other drivers.
according to Article published in 2002 in the wildlife management journalPredation is responsible for 92% of pup deaths in the eastern interior of Alaska, with black bears accounting for 45% of these deaths.
