Help Stop the Aerial Gunning of Wildlife on Colorado Public Lands

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Help Stop the Aerial Gunning of Wildlife on Colorado Public Lands

 

 

 

Each year, government-hired " aerial gunners " shoot more than 23,000 coyotes

from low-flying aircraft, primarily in the guise of " livestock protection "

for a few sheep and cattle ranchers and/or in an effort to reduce predator

numbers in an attempt to increase ungulate populations for hunters. Your tax

dollars pay for this slaughter, which is conducted on public and private

lands by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services (formerly

Animal Damage Control) agency.

 

A newly formed national coalition of environmental and animal welfare

groups, called AGRO: A Coalition to End Aerial Gunning of Wildlife

(representing thousands of Americans), attorneys, and professional

biologists, has formed with the sole purpose of ending aerial gunning of

wildlife in the United States. Aerial gunning has long been controversial

because of the excessive number of wildlife killed and also because of the

number of human fatalities and cost to taxpayers. At least 19 aircraft

flying the low-altitude missions have crashed during the past 12 years,

resulting in 7 fatalities and 26 injuries.

 

In Colorado, thousands of coyotes are shot from aircraft on Forest Service

and Bureau of Land Management lands. We need your help to help stop this

inhumane and unnecessary program from continuing on public lands in

Colorado.

 

Please write to Ann Morgan, State Director of the Colorado Bureau of Land

Management (BLM), and request that the BLM immediately suspend all aerial

gunning missions on all Colorado BLM lands. Director Morgan is expected to

make a decision about aerial gunning in Colorado by mid-August so please

write your letters today!

 

Ann Morgan, State Director

Bureau of Land Management

2850 Youngfield Street

Lakewood, CO 80215

Fax: 303-239-3934

ann_morgan

 

Points to consider including in your letter:

 

Please thank Director Morgan for responding to the AGRO coalition by setting

up a task force to address this important issue.

Aerial gunning of wildlife is inhumane, biologically and ecologically

reckless, and an enormous waste of taxpayer dollars.

Aerial gunning operations are a public safety hazard. At least 19 aircraft

flying the low-altitude missions have crashed during the past 12 years,

resulting in 7 fatalities and 26 injuries.

Aerial gunning programs are in violation of several environmental laws. In

addition, the federal government has failed to conduct site-specific

analyses of the impacts of aerial gunning operations on wildlife, local

ecosystems, etc. Until there is compliance with such laws and regulations,

all aerial gunning operations should be suspended on Colorado BLM lands.

 

For more information, please contact Camilla Fox at 916-731-5521.

 

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