Thousands of Californians Speak Out Against Coyote-killing Contest

State Wildlife Officials Agree to Precautionary Measures Requested by Conservation Groups to Protect Wolves During Hunt & to Consider Changes to Rules Allowing Unlimited Killing of Coyotes

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- State wildlife officials in California declined to call off a coyote-hunting contest in Modoc County this weekend but, in response to public outcry, agreed to take steps to clarify the scope of the hunt and protect OR-7, the first wild wolf in California in nearly nine decades. The precautionary steps were recommended by a coalition of conservation groups representing more than a million Californians, including the Animal Welfare Institute, Project Coyote and the Center for Biological Diversity.

The California Fish and Wildlife Department received more than 20,000 comments and petition signatures from members of the public who oppose the coyote hunt. On Wednesday, following a hearing that included testimony from more than a dozen hunt-contest opponents, wildlife officials agreed to educate the hunt's sponsors and participants on the physical differences between coyotes and wolves and to make clear that shooting wolves violates both state and federal law. The agency said it will also provide wardens to monitor the hunt and ensure it complies with the law.

"We'd rather the hunt was called off altogether, but we're pleased state officials will take extra measures that could reduce the risk of hurting or killing wolves," said Amaroq Weiss, West Coast wolf organizer at the Center for Biological Diversity.

The coalition notified federal land-management agencies about the contest — known as "Coyote Drive 2013" — and informed the event sponsors, the Pit River Rod and Gun Club and Adin Supply Company, that because special-use permits have not been obtained, contestants cannot kill coyotes on Bureau of Land Management or U.S. Forest Service lands. Also, nearby national wildlife refuges, National Park Service lands and state wildlife management areas are not open to predator hunting. "While the sponsors advise participants to obtain permission to hunt on private land, they fail to specify that the permission must be in writing to comply with state law," said D.J. Schubert, wildlife biologist with the Animal Welfare Institute.

"The concept of making a contest out of killing wildlife is ethically indefensible and suggests that wildlife have no value other than as live targets in an outdoor shooting gallery," said Camilla Fox, Project Coyote executive director and a wildlife consultant to the Animal Welfare Institute. "We intend to work with state officials to put an end to such gratuitous slaughter of wildlife as part of a contest to win prizes."

Project Coyote promotes educated coexistence between people and coyotes by championing progressive management policies that reduce human-coyote conflict, supporting innovative scientific research, and by fostering respect for and understanding of America's native wild "song dog." http://www.projectcoyote.org/

The Animal Welfare Institute is dedicated to reducing animal suffering caused by people. AWI engages policymakers, scientists, industry and the public to achieve better treatment of animals everywhere — in the laboratory, on the farm, in commerce, at home, and in the wild. http://awionline.org

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 450,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/

You can find the Stop the Coyote Contest Hunt Petition at Change.org: 
http://www.change.org/petitions/ca-dept-of-fish-wildlife-f-g-commission-stop-coyote-killing-contest

SOURCE Animal Welfare Institute