Today the Missoulian reported that:
– Three conservation groups filed a federal court lawsuit Thursday against Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks commissioners and Director Jeff Hagener for allowing trapping and snaring in Canada lynx habitat.
The Friends of the Wild Swan, the WildEarth Guardians and the Alliance for the Wild Rockies say FWP reported at least nine incidents since 2000 of lynx being caught in traps set for other species; and say four of those animals died. They alleged that this violates the federal Endangered Species Act, which lists lynx as a threatened species and warranted for protection, and want the trapping prohibited in lynx habitat.
“In one instance, a young female lynx was found in a pool of her own blood, with extensive muscle damage, and an empty stomach — all from lingering far too long in a cruel, steel-jawed trap,” Wendy Keefover, carnivore protection program director for WildEarth Guardians, said in a news release. “Montana allowed this unnecessary death, which impedes lynx recovery, especially when it involves potential breeding animals.”
The lawsuit outlines some of the cases in which lynx were caught and died, including one that starved to death.
Yes, you read that right, a lynx STARVED TO DEATH in a trap! Obviously there’s no 24 hour trap check required for species like bobcat or whoever trappers are “legally” targeting. How many more precious animals have to bleed to death, lose limbs or starve in traps before the world wakes up and trapping ends for good?
Exposing the Big Game 
I hope they nail MFWP’s collective ass to the wall.
Well said and I concur!
I agree I hope they do too
“How many more precious animals have to bleed to death, lose limbs or starve in traps before the world wakes up and trapping ends for good?”
The world is waking up, and it’s thanks to blogs like yours and social media.
Good to hear it.
It needs to be cost prohibitive for these things to happen. We treat a medicinal herb patient worse than we do some sociopath that stalks and kills endangered species. For this crap to st
Sorry, power glitch… for this stuff to stop, full enforcement of forefiture laws have to be set in place. Guns, gone, truck, gone, house, gone. Freedom and job, gone. That’s a good start.
In other word, THEY need to have a power glitch;)
Is it not astounding that wildlife agencies have to be sued to get them to do their job, (protect wildlife including predators) they should be doing automatically? Instead they seem to pamper trappers and hunters and ranchers and farmers. Wildlife, wildlife habitat preservation and even acquisition, should be their focus and ecology. Instead, when it comes to predators and what some of the aforesaid groups considers varmints, they are persecutory. “Management” by hunting and trapping (killing) seems to be their primary tools. Well, if the only tool you have is a hammer, then every problem is a nail. They need more tools, plus a better philosophy. The aforementioned groups seem to have their ear. Maybe the crux of the problem is where they get their funds, licensing, which they see as political powerful, or is it just a mission they inherited from out forefathers who had lethal attitudes and beliefs about wildlife. It is hunters and trappers and ranchers and farmers on public land that should be the primary focus of their management. These latter groups have historically been the encroachers and destroyers of wildlife and wildlife habitat. If the wildlife agencies, their funding and outlook, were more tied in with tourism, wildlife viewing, the far greater number of Americans’ concern and care for wildlife, then the story would be different. They are too locked into barbaric traditions of killing wildlife, especially predators. I guess conservation groups will just have to keep suing and exposing. Who else will care enough?
Yep, they and animal rights groups.
You make some great points, Roger. People think “Wildlife Services” (federal) and state fish & wildlife departments were established to help animals survive. The exact opposite is true. Governmental wildlife agencies operate at the behest of hunters, trappers, and ranchers. This small percentage of the population calls the shots on wildlife “management” (=population manipulation, exploitation, “harvesting” — such a benevolent term for torturing and killing). The rest of us — who far outnumber the hunters/trappers/ranchers/perverts — have no agency responsive to us or to the true interests of the animals. I’ve learned to feel nothing but contempt for wildlife agencies. They actually promote hunting and trapping — at least in Idaho — and the only conservation they’re interested in is the kind that guarantees plentiful animals to torture and kill.
the world should have woken up to this barbaric cruelty many years ago! but money talks where the fur industry is involved.stop wearing fur is a good begining of the end of trapping.
I certainly hope they win the lawsuit but anything’s possible. This trapping business is extremely awful; as long as people view animals as things, we’re doomed to continue this hell forever, likely with the perpetrators reincarnating as these animals to continue the vicious cycle. It has got to stop, we need Divine Intervention; nothing else seems to work. I may sound nutty, but this “human”-ruined world IS truly insane.
That isn’t nutty at all.
Trapping is horrific. …. stop the brutality.
No being should ever be trapped !
Stop this cruel stupid behavior .. We are a
Very cruel species .. When will we ever realize we need love and and respect for all beings .. We would never do this to a human why our Wildlife? .. Stop the violence against our Wildlife now!
Lets evolve as a species and use non lethal
Methods to coexist .. Use Ghandi nonviolence practice.
We are undisciplined and becoming very backwards in our thinking .. Our government is not leading our country in an enlightened way . We are spending taxpayers $$$ to kill our wildlife because ag and oil interests wants these animals removed .. I totally disagree, these are God’s creatures and we are all together in an intelligent ecosystem! We don’t t know best . And never have .. Listen to nature .. Watch learn and listen.. We are killing the planet with fear and our greed! Wake up !
Time is running out !
:Leg hold traps are heinous, inhumane, cruel, perverse, primitive, barbaric and should be destroyed and illegal. Anyone that uses a leg hold trap should have the experience first hand on their own limb..
Is there a petition here somewhere, i am getting fed up with these trappers, who find more enjoyment than necessity from killing these creatures. they are like neighbours to us,. They are beings of a different ”Kin” and should be treasured.
This is a war and our loser politicians are the generals. Remember this at the polls and spread the word to vote these barbaric lawmakers OUT of OUR offices of POWER.
Why is it that these “hunters” still trap. It can’t be for food. The pelts, does someone really pay to have them. I guess it’s still the “caveman” way of living.
Hope they get there a$$ sued.