Environmental Groups Challenge Predator Trapping Program

Published: Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - 8:44am
(Photo by Tony Battiste - Portraits in Nature)
An ocelot in the Huachuca Mountains in southern Arizona.

Two environmental groups are asking a judge to block a federal agency from trapping and removing predators from certain areas of Arizona. They’re worried about the endangered ocelot.   

At issue is a program under the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service that’s designed to capture or kill certain predators when they conflict with humans, particularly ranchers.

The center for biological diversity is asking a federal judge to halt the program until a more in-depth study is completed. Collette Adkins, an attorney with the organization, said the problem with these trapping methods is they’re not selective.

"So we're concerned that traps that are set for other similar-size predators like coyotes and bobcats could accidentally catch ocelots if they're placed in areas where ocelot are known to occur," said Adkins.

There are only about 100 ocelots in the United States. Most of them in Texas and southern and eastern Arizona.

Science