June 2013
Welcome back to Coyote Chronicles
It’s a tough time to be a large carnivore in North America. Trapped, poisoned, aerial gunned and killed for trophies and “recreation,” coyotes, wolves, foxes and other native wildlife face escalating persecution as the anti-predator sentiment grows and as species lose protections at the federal and state levels.
Last week in Philadelphia I presented Coexisting with Carnivores in the U.S. ~ Overcoming Prejudice and Persecution at the American Society of Mammalogists conference. I challenged the USDA’s “Wildlife Services” predator control program and discussed the success of non-lethal coexistence models. From Philadelphia, I traveled to Sun Valley, Idaho with our new Science Advisory Board member, Dr. Robert Crabtree, where we gave a presentation about living with coyotes and other predators at the Wood River Wolf Project workshop sponsored by Defenders of Wildlife.
Today I’m headed up to Sacramento with predator friendly rancher and Project Coyote supporter Keli Hendricks to participate in a film screening and panel discussion about how we move from exploitation and persecution of native carnivores to conservation and stewardship. California Fish and Game Commission President Michael Sutton is moderating the panel discussion. If you’re in Northern California, please join us for this exciting event!
Read more below about Project Coyote’s efforts to redefine how we coexist with wildlife and please join me in welcoming two new members to our growing team!
For the Wild,
Camilla H. Fox
Executive Director
P.S. Project Coyote could really use your help to continue our critical work to protect coyotes, wolves and other native carnivores from abuse and persectuion.
To make a contribution to support Project Coyote today, please click here.
In the Spotlight
Meet Judy Paulsen
New Mexico Rep.
Project Coyote’s howl is being heard across North America! We are excited to welcome Judy Paulsen to our team as the New Mexico Representative. Judy’s boundless enthusiasm is felt throughout New Mexico as she works to promote our “Coyote Friendly Communities” program and to bring an end to killing contests, field coursing and penning. A long-time canid advocate, Judy has been rescuing greyhounds and advocating for an end to their suffering on race tracks and at training farms where retired greyhound racers are often handed off to hunters for chasing and killing coyotes. Her efforts to bring attention to this practice have been featured in national media outlets including the New York Times. Read more about Judy here.
NM Residents:
Join Judy for a screening of the award-winning documentary American Coyote ~ Still Wild at Heart & a discussion about coexisting with coyotes on 6.29.13 in Santa Fe @ 10am. Click here for more info.
In the Spotlight
Meet Dr. Robert Crabtree
Science Advisory Board
Project Coyote is proud to announce that renowned coyote biologist and founder and chief scientist of the Yellowstone Ecological Research Center, Dr. Robert (Bob) Crabtree has joined PC’s Science Advisory Board. Bob’s seminal work on coyotes in central Washington and on Yellowstone’s northern range formed the basis for a new understanding of coyote ecology and populations. He has defined numerous mechanisms regarding the demographic and behavioral response coyotes have to both human exploitation and the impact of wolves. He has challenged the ecological and economic validity of indiscriminate killing of coyote populations. He has also conducted studies on wolves, foxes, bears, felids, mustelids and raptors and has specialized in the analysis of long-term time-series data sets on many vertebrate species populations. Read more about Bob here.
Coalition to End Coyote/Fox Penning in Virginia
Project Coyote has joined other national wildlife protection organizations to end coyote and fox penning in Virginia. In June we submitted a comprehensive letter to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries calling on the agency to abolish the practice outright or, at minimum, to not allow pen operators to waive out of the proposed welfare requirements. Read more here.
Take Action
Promoting Predator Conservation & Stewardship in California
Project Coyote’s Camilla Fox and Bob Crabtree participated in the first California Wildlife Resources Committee (WRC) meeting on June 12th in Oakland, California. The WRC was formed at the direction of the California Fish and Game Commission to address pressing and controversial wildlife management issues.
Project Coyote has been leading a statewide effort to prohibit coyote/predator killing contest hunts and ensured that this issue along with predator control will be prioritized by the WRC. Committee members enthusiastically supported Project Coyote’s recommendation that the WRC shift the focus from predator management to a more holistic and ecosystem-based approach focusing on predator conservation and stewardship.
Stay tuned for more updates as this process unfolds!
Wild Things
Meet Judy Paulsen
New Mexico Rep.
In collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and other partners, Project Coyote will co-sponsor three Northern California screenings of the Wild Things — an award-winning documentary produced by NRDC that reveals the problems plaguing the USDA Wildlife Services predator control program and sheds light on the humane, nonlethal methods that many ranchers have adopted to protect livestock and to coexist with carnivores.
Camilla Fox and Science Advisory Board members Bob Crabtree and Becky Weed are featured in this film as well as the Marin County Livestock & Wildlife Protection Program.
If you’re in Northern California, please join Camilla tonight in Sacramento and on Thurs. June 27th at the David Brower Center in Berkeley for film screenings and panel discussions. More information here.
Coyote Cool Facts
Fact: Coyotes mate for life
Camilla Fox
“100 Guardian Angels of the Planet”
Project Coyote’s founder and executive director Camilla Fox was named among the “100 Guardian Angels of the Planet…”
…and featured in her alma mater’s Bostonia magazine. Read more here.
“I sustain myself with the love of family.”
Spreading Our Message through Social Media
Our popular Facebook (FB) page hit a milestone this month with more than 5,000 supporters following us! PC’s amazingly talented Communications Advisor, Gina Farr in collaboration with photographer and graphic artist Kelly Anderson-Edwards kicked us into high gear with our new Message Monday & Photo Friday FB campaigns aimed at increasing appreciation and respect for coyotes through photo and message sharing.
Check out these popular campaigns on our FB page and join our growing social networking community.
Join the E-TEAM
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Get periodic e-news, action alerts, and join our growing network of citizen leaders, advocates, scientists, and wildlife managers who are helping people and wildlife coexist in our communities.
For America’s Song Dog,
Thank you.