American Lions, the cougar, are facing unprecedented species selection eradication TROPHY HUNTING programs across the Nation. These are not just killing programs, they are extinction programs selecting one apex predator the wolf over another, the cougar. Wildlife managers in Utah, Oregon, New Mexico and other States are implementing plans to increase the killing of America’s lions as a way to “protect” wolves and make room for game hunting and invasive cattle operations.
The primary programs driving these mass killings will be Trophy Hunters, just like Dr. Palmer, the hunter-in-hiding that killed Cecil.
There is a grievous disconnect of truth and sound science in the politics behind these State bills.
Wolves, like any dog, love to run in packs, and they will and do kill more cougars than cougars are able to kill wolves. It is not unusual for Omega wolves to be killed by a cougar, as Omega wolves are not allowed the same protection as those favored by the Alpha wolf. What this means is, if a wolf is alone and not part of a pack, it can be killed by a cougar. This, however, is rare.
These plans will bring the cougar to extinction and stress the DNA and social structure of these American lions so much so that they will not survive.
These killing plans state that there is an “over population of cougar” in areas of their States. However, just what is an over population considering the fact that cougar habitat use to extend from Canada to the very southern tip of South America - covering and sustaining thousands of unique ecosystems. Now they populate less than half of the Untied States, are extinct in the Eastern States, are struggling in Florida, and Oregon has no clue how many cougar we have or need.
Wildlife managers in these States have created artificial cougar population parameters that reflect only the needs of the cattle and hunting industries, and do not address at all the fact that cougar populations were from Canada, through the entire United States, and extended all the way to the very tip of South America.
For thousands of years the cougar and the wolf have lived a symbiotic relationship called the Guild Apex predator relationship - a relationship we have not studied and do not know the probable significance their relation plays for a healthy ecosystem. Most likely, it is a relationship that balances each-others population by way of regulating food sources that ultimately regulate population growth for both species.
So, these plans are actually an extinction plan. They must be stopped. Please sign and share!!
Visit www.OreCat.org to learn more about America's Lion and fb Oregon Cougar Action Team and join the effort!
