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Few people realize that there are hundreds of brutal coyote killing contests held in the United States offering prizes from belt buckles to assault rifles for killing the most coyotes, as well as awards for killing the biggest and smallest "dog." A top honor often goes to killing a pregnant female. Project Coyote is taking on these contests with a no-nonsense approach.
We testified in force at February's California Fish & Wildlife Commission meeting. We were there again on April 17th with children who asked for a permanent statewide ban on predator killing contests. Read Camilla Fox's testimony here.
Banning barbaric killing contests in California and beyond is a part of our vision to change the way coyotes - and all predators - are viewed and "managed".
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From our headquarters in Marin County, California to Biddeford, Maine and urban and rural points in between, Project Coyote is dedicating
its knowledge and resources to building Coyote Friendly Communities.
Cites and towns you will recognize -- San Francisco, CA, Davis, CA,
Calabasas, CA, Superior and Boulder CO, Belmont, MA -- are asking for
Project Coyote's help and are receiving customized resources and
consultations to reduce conflits and increase awareness.
From our new coyote hazing field guide to tailored Coyote Coexistence Plans, and Be Coyote Aware Trail signs, Project Coyote's resources are being used by state and federal agencies including the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service, state and local parks and humane societies.
Get your own tools & resources here.
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Project Coyote, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, and the Animal Welfare Institute obtained a default ruling against the WCI Foxhound Training Preserve (WCI) in our lawsuit against the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for waiving state permit requirements for controversial coyote penning facilities like WCI. The judge signed without changes our proposed judgment which included a declaration that WCI’s possession of coyotes without a permit is unlawful. While the verdict is an important victory over WCI, the DNR has not yet indicated whether it will enforce permitting laws against the illegal penning operation. If the DNR refuses to do so, plaintiffs will seek a court order requiring enforcement of the law.
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Gina Farr
Coyote Hazing
Field Guide
Sticker art
"Gina made a beautiful, age appropriate presentation for the children. Participating in the Ask Me About Coyotes program has empowered my students and helped them to know that they can make a positive difference."
- Laura Honda, award-winning California teacher, Manor School, Fairfax, CA
Lovely Isabel asking us to "Have a heart for coyotes"
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Our new Coyote Hazing Field Guide is here!
Keeping coyotes wild and wary of humans is the key to successful coexistence. Thanks to the talents of Project Coyote’s Communications Advisor, Gina Farr, we now have this full-color brochure on "hazing," a powerful tool for keeping coyotes at a distance by reinforcing their natural wariness. Designed for use by individuals and agencies in their education and outreach efforts, our Coyote Hazing Field Guide is a practical and information-packed tool that provides advice on when and how to haze. Download your free copy here!
"Ask Me About Coyotes!"
Gina Farr's unique way of teaching children about coyotes premiered in March to rave reviews! Gina, with support from volunteer Karina Grasso and our outreach coordinator, Kim Flaherty, presented a dynamite day of learning to fifty 4th graders at Manor School in Fairfax, California. Their award-winning teacher, Laura Honda is encouraging her students to be active in environmental issues and to stand up for coyotes. On April 17th, Laura's environmental Green Team delivered testimony before the California Fish and Game Commission against predator killing contests. They were well spoken, highly effective and there wasn't a dry eye in the house when they stepped away from the podium. Check out our Facebook photo album of Laura and her students tesifying here.
"Ask Me About Coyotes" is a play-it-forward teaching game. It begins with a full morning of learning about coyotes that includes multimedia, role playing, and active discussion. When the children demonstrate an understanding of coyote biology and behavior, they receive a button plus two stickers that say "Ask Me About Coyotes" along with literature to share. The kids then go forth into their own community wearing the Ask Me button passing on their knowledge to two people and awarding each an "Ask Me" sticker to wear. All three are now official button-and-sticker-wearing ambassadors for teaching about coyotes! Kids are also asked to put up our Be Coyote Aware flyers in their communities. These young ambassadors are the next generation of compassionate conservationists promoting peaceful coexistence.
Coyote Crossing Sign: Learn-Understand-Respect-Protect
Gina worked with Laura Honda's 4th grade class to create this amazing artwork, the soon-to-be poster and street sign seen throughout the country! We are looking for funds to make this happen. If you can contribute, please click here! When you donate, please indicate that you want your gift to go to the children's Coyote Crossing project in the comments section.
"Children are the voices and the hope for our future. They are great communicators."
- Gina Farr, Ask Me About Coyotes & Communications Advisor/Environmental Educator, Project Coyote
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Shining the Spotlight on "Wildlife Services"
Under the Animal Damage Control Act of 1931, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services (USDA WS) program continues to emphasize lethal predator control despite continuing studies that demonstrate its ineffectiveness - both ecologically and economically. In 2011 alone, Wildlife Services killed more than 4 million animals in the United States including 116,000 mammalian carnivores; close to 85,000 were coyotes. Government trappers snare, poison, and shoot animals that "may" harm livestock, aquaculture, or agricultural crops - plus hundreds if not thousands of unintended victims including endangered species and companion animals. Much of this killing takes place on public lands throughout the West.
When Camilla Fox wrote this hard-hitting Huffington Post essay in 2011, little did we know that in 2012 and 2013 two hard hitting national expos és - ones that we contributed extensively to - would capture the attention of millions of readers and shine the light on this little-known agency. Our innovative non-lethal Marin Livestock & Wildlife Protection Program - a model for the country - even took the front page! In addition to shining the spotlight on WS' cruel practices, we are working behind the scenes with allies to reform this rogue agency. Read:
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Tom Knudson's "The Killing Agency" - a three part series in the Sacramento Bee. Tom has produced more than 20 hard-hitting wildlife exposés, multimedia and graphics since April 2012; he deserves a Pulitzer Prize for his service to taxpayers, wildlife and our communities (which would be his third!
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Sign our online petition asking for an investigation into reports of intentional animal abuse by federal USDA employees and the termination of WS trapperJamie Olson for animal cruetly and torture here.
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Read Tom Knudson's latest exposé on this issue and our efforts to stop the wanton cruelty: Wildlife Services Tightens Dog Policy. Follow Tom on Twitter - @tomsplace - for updates about Wildlife Services and other wildlife issues.
Camilla Fox panelist at the 93rd annual meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists
The ASM Conservation Committee is sponsoring a special thematic session on Mammalian Predator Control, with 4 talks followed by a 30-min discussion period. Camilla Fox of Project Coyote and the Animal Welfare Institute will discuss some of the problems with traditional predator management and the need for the integration of science, ethics and community-based adaptive management strategies to help resolve human-carnivore conflicts. Stewart Breck of USDA-APHIS National Wildlife Research Center, will present 11 years of research results on non-lethal methods for reducing human-carnivore conflict. Marco Musiani, of University of Calgary, will discuss the importance of social, economic, and ethical evaluations—as well as ecological evaluations—of lethal wolf control in areas with both domestic and wild ungulate prey. Jeremy Bruskotter, of Ohio State University, will examine psychological, social, and institutional factors that perpetuate the Western wolf conflict, with pro- and anti-wolf groups having widely divergent views about the risks and benefits of wild wolf populations.
Tuesday, June 18th
, Philadelphia, PA
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Partnering with other organizations to support legislative initiatives is an important priority. So much of our work is just to "hold the bar" against some of the most egregious killing practices imaginable, including bounties, snaring, night hunting with lights, poisoning ...and the list goes on. We are also at the forefront of promoting progressive ideas and initiatives, and our network of scientists is often called upon for providing testimony in legislative matters.
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Ashley DeLaup – Colorado representative & wildlife ecologist
Throughout Colorado, Ashley provides assistance to communities to help them better coexist with coyotes. She presented a Hazing Training presentation to city and staff of Boulder, Colorado to help them develop a proactive program along a trail with high coyote-human conflict. Ashley continues to work with the City of Superior in promoting peaceful coexistence with coyotes and is developing a model Coyote Coexistence Plan for the town. If you need assistance with coyote education and outreach in your community, feel free to contact us directly at info@projectcoyote.org and check out the many free resources offered on our website here.
Becky Pomponio – Florida representative
Becky was recently asked by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to join a panel in western Orlando about living with coyotes. Residents were considering hiring trappers and Becky presented the compelling reasons why trapping would be the wrong approach. She then demonstrated hazing techniques employing Project Coyote's new Coyote Hazing Field Guide. The meeting generated a front-page Orlando Sentinel article. The Orange County Environmental Program Supervisor told Becky she would develop a webpage using Project Coyote's helpful information.
Stacey Evans – Legislative and policy associate
Stacey does a lot of work behind the scenes lobbying on matters of wildlife policy and legislation. She is working with allies in Virginia to press for a ban on the cruel practice of coyote/fox "penning", a grisly blood sport in which hunters confine wildlife to an enclosed area where packs of dogs can chase them to the point of exhaustion and often tear them apart.
On Earth Day, Stacey moderated the session "Wildlife Issues: Coyote and Fox Penning and Wildlife Trade" at the MSBA Animal law Section's 4th Annual Animal Law Symposium in Baltimore, Maryland. If you missed it, keep an eye on our Events page for future presentations that may interest you.
John Maguranis – Massachusetts representative
Project Coyote's John Maguranis is a popular speaker on wildlife matters and gives numerous presentations on coexisting with coyotes throughout Massachusetts. Through years of experience working as an animal control officer and veterinary technician, John understands coyote behavior and delivers the message of peaceful coexistence extremely well. He has been interviewed by The Boston Globe and Emily Rooney Show and was recently featured in an article in The Arlington Advocate. In the article, John imparts useful tips for coexistence and speaks to the futility of eradication programs, "You cannot get rid of these animals. We’ve got to get used to having them around," Maguranis said. "That’s why I preach coexistence. If we don’t, all we’re doing is killing animals."
Dave Parsons – Science advisory board member
Dave provided a presentation to standing-room only crowd in Coralles, New Mexico. Organized by Project Coyote supporter and coyote advocate extraordinaire Cindy Roper (pictured above with Dave), Dave’s presentation provided much needed information to the community.
Dave also gave powerful testimony before the New Mexico Judiciary Committee in support of HB 316, a bill which would have banned coyote killing contests in the state. In his testimony he stated:
“This bill should pass unanimously on moral and ethical grounds alone. In my opinion, a society that condones unlimited killing of any species of wildlife for fun and prizes is morally bankrupt. But I am here to speak to the science related to this issue. And I can say unequivocally that there is no basis in science to support any claims to justify contest hunts for coyotes.”
With the aid of such testimony, the bill passed through the Judiciary Committee. Unfortunately, two days later the bill failed in the House by a close vote. Passing legislation to shift how coyotes are treated is not easy, especially with money and special interests against us, but we will continue to work with allies to end this wanton cruelty and abuse of wildlife.
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"Listening" photo courtesy of
Trish Carney/TrishCarney.com
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Project Coyote is a North American coalition of scientists and educators fostering coexistence between people and coyotes through education, science, and advocacy.
