CARNIVORE CONSERVATION

REPLACING KILLING WITH COEXISTENCE

In North America, wolves, coyotes, foxes and other species are under threat from government programs that are entrenched in a pattern of killing rather than coexistence. For example, more than 100,000 predators are killed in the U.S. each year by the U.S Department of Agriculture’s “Wildlife Services” agency, largely at the behest of ranchers and agribusiness.

Species targeted by these publicly funded government programs include coyotes, wolves, bears, mountain lions, foxes and bobcats. The coyote is by far the most persecuted carnivore in North America. At least half a million coyotes are killed every year in the U.S — one per minute — by federal, state and local governments as well as private individuals.

U.S taxpayers subsidize this carnage at the cost to taxpayers of more than 100 million dollars annually. Indiscriminate lethal control persists despite scientific evidence that it is misguided and ultimately ineffective.

Most of this killing is carried out in the name of “livestock protection” at the behest of agribusiness and private ranchers even though other non-lethal methods and models have been successfully employed.

Coyotes and other predators are also killed for their fur, for “sport,” and in “body-count” killing contests. Many states set no limit on the number of predators that may be killed, nor do they regulate the killing methods.

Our Carnivore Conservation & Coexistence program shifts the approach from killing to coexistence. While the coyote serves as our ambassador, program initiatives benefit all predators who fall victim to the same prejudice, misunderstanding and cruelty.

We advocate for reforms within government agencies, especially USDA Wildlife Services; abolition of unethical practices such as predator killing contests, trophy hunting and trapping, and “penning”; strong enforcement of the Endangered Species Act for imperiled predators like wolves, lynx and San Joaquin kit fox; and pursuit of legislative and judicial remedies when necessary.