February 18, 2020 CONTACTS: John Laundré, Ph.D.,Western Oregon University, 315-529-3759, launjohn@hotmail.com Brooks Fahy, Predator Defense, 541-520-6003, brooks@predatordefense.org |
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Wildlife agencies’ claims about need to kill cougars to control populations, increase deer supply, also not supported by peer-reviewed science |
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EUGENE, OR – Since the 1970s, when cougars (aka pumas or mountain lions) were declared a game species, state wildlife agencies in 10 western states have allowed tens of thousands to be killed by sport hunters. Kill numbers have increased over time, with currently over 3,200 cougars slaughtered each year. Wildlife managers have long argued that sport hunting is necessary to control cougars’ numbers, reduce the risk of attacks on humans, protect livestock, and augment deer herds for hunters. But a newly released, peer-reviewed study that tested the effectiveness of this practice shows the opposite to be true. Published this month in PLOS ONE, the study is titled “The elephant in the room: What can… |
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Exposing the Big Game 