There are several reasons why trapping should remain legal. There is one reason that I have personally encountered the expansion of our urban cities into the rural wooded areas.
I encourage you to look at a satellite image of where you live today, and compare it to one taken ten years ago. I'm sure you will be surprised at how much everything is expanding. Animals aren’t just going to stop reproducing because we want to build a mall or another apartment complex. I have managed the same land for over fourteen seasons now and I have seen how our development, miles away from where I trap, has affected the ecosystem on the land that I manage.
This is mostly apparent in the coyote populations throughout southwest Missouri. The predators are forced to find food in more urban areas with larger populations of people and pets than ever before. Without proper management practices coyotes with mange and other diseases could start affecting us and our pets. Another example of this can be seen with the smaller predators such as Raccoons, Opossums, and Red Fox. They are being seen hit on the side of city roads more frequently. They are trying to avoid predatation from the larger coyotes and bobcats. This can affect us because the diseased furbearing animals will begin competing with our pets for food.
In 1996, the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies began one of the most ambitious research projects in the history of the conservation movement: a program to develop Best Management Practices (BMPs) for regulated trapping. The program aims to evaluate animal welfare, identify efficient tools and techniques, and develop recommendations for state fish and wildlife agencies to consider as an element of their wildlife management programs. Regulated trapping is a necessary and effective wildlife management tool, and wildlife professionals across the country believe that trapping BMPs will ensure the continued improvement of this management technique (Best Management Practices). These are what I believe make trapping a tool that landowners can use and know that they are taking care of their predator problems efficiently.
Works Cited
Best Management Practices . 10 9 2010 <http://www.fishwildlife.org/furbearer_bmp.html>.
I have a few questions concerning this post that boggle my mind. First, why would urban sprawl be a reason to push trapping? Urban sprawl would actually be a great oppostion argument, such as the animals now have limited habitat and need to be protected. Also, I don't believe that the majority of coyotes have "mange" nor would my personal pets be in danger of contracting such a disease. Do you have stats to back this statement? Also, I wouldn't use the term "diseased furbearing animals", as this seems a bit prejudicial towards the creatures that have inhibited this area for much longer than us. Stats would be helpful here as well, as I don't hear much of "diseased" racoons and opossums running amuck; how are these animals competing with our pets for food? Quite curious as my dogs will not have to worry about wrestling a racoon for their dinner tonight.
ReplyDeleteI too would like to see some stats, or more citations of any kind to back your comments. You might consider looking up "urban coyotes" in the Missouri conservationist from the last couple of years (2009 it seems).
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