Predator Control
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The proponents’ expressed intent is for the Wolf Control Board to reduce the Idaho wolf population to 150 wolves. See update at bottom A public hearing is scheduled for Monday at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise on Governor Otter’s “Wolf Control Board” bill HB470 which establishes a board which would composed solely of people appointed by the…
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Idaho’s wolf management has opened a lot of eyes in the past month. With the recent coyote and wolf killing contest that killed 21 coyotes and no wolves, the hiring of a trapper by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to eradicate two packs of wolves in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness…
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The USDA Wildlife Services Wildlife Specialist “Mistook” it for a Coyote The Endangered Species Act affords protection against unauthorized take of the Mexican gray wolves, and makes it a criminal offense to kill one. 16 U.S.C. §1540(b). The Final Rule for the reintroduction of Mexican gray wolves codifies the prohibition against killing the wolves and…
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You know that it’s bad when Fox News writes about the abuses of an agency loved and defended by conservatives. Animal torture, abuse called a ‘regular practice’ within federal wildlife agency Fox News The article talks about the “regular practice” by Wildlife Service’s agents of letting their dogs attack animals that have been caught by…
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Graphic photos published to a self-proclaimed USDA Wildlife Services employee’s Facebook page and Twitter account were recently brought to light by wildlife activists. Some of the photos, placed in a Facebook album called “work” and some from a public Twitter account, depict the employee’s dogs attacking defenseless coyotes, raccoons, and bobcats caught in a leg-hold…
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In Nevada nowadays it is all the rage to blame predators for habitat problems created by overgrazing by livestock. That is clearly illustrated in an article published in the Elko Daily News which describes the efforts that the State of Nevada has undertaken under pressure from livestock groups cleverly disguised as hunting groups. Rather than…
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The Sacramento Bee gives citizens suggestions- The Bee’s recent expose investigation of the activities of USDA-Wildlife Services predator control was read by many. Outrage is high and now more information is in the hands of the public. Earlier we covered efforts by two members of the House, bipartisan, to get a congressional investigation started. We…
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In the final installment of the 3-part series, Tom Knudson investigates how the role of USDA Wildlife Services may change in the future. Should the agency be disbanded? Should it be reformed and given different responsibilities like controlling only invasive, non-native species? Should its predator control program be defunded? There is obviously a problem with…