CHATHAM, Mass. – The HSUS has learned that a Monomoy National
Wildlife Refuge commissioned sharpshooter killed a lactating
female coyote and an immature male coyote last month, causing
wildlife advocates to believe that the female’s pups starved to
death. The HSUS today responded by demanding that managers at
the refuge rethink the lethal control program. The HSUS
reiterated its offer of funding to protect bird colonies using
non-lethal measures.
“Everyone would agree that killing a domesticated dog and
allowing her puppies to starve to death, for any reason, is
unconscionable cruelty. Why then aren’t our public leaders
holding this wildlife refuge to the same standard?” asked
Jessica Almy, wildlife advocate at The HSUS’s Cape Wildlife
Center in West Barnstable. “This practice must stop.”
This year’s slaughter and those of previous years were
commissioned to protect endangered roseate terns and threatened
piping plovers. In 2001, the refuge reported a total of six
pairs of roseate terns and 28 pairs of piping plovers.
The National Wildlife Refuge has been the site of coyote
killing since 1999, when a federal agent first killed a female
coyote. The refuge has been responsible for the deaths of at
least 44 coyotes since that time. The HSUS has repeatedly tried
to work with refuge managers to explore non-lethal approaches
of protecting roseate terns and piping plovers, to no avail.
Twice this spring, The HSUS requested meetings with managers
but received no reply.
“Monomoy is no refuge for wildlife,” said Almy. “Killing
coyotes with newborn, defenseless pups is inhumane.”
In addition to killing mammalian predators, the wildlife
refuge killed 1,717 gulls in 1996 by feeding the birds poisoned
bait. Of those, 529 herring gulls and 67 great black-backed
gulls slowly died of poisoning on the mainland, often in
people’s yards. Public outcry prompted managers to stop the
indiscriminant gull killing.
The HSUS is the nation’s largest animal protection
organization with over seven million members and constituents.
The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active
programs in companion animals and equine protection, wildlife,
animals in research and farm animals and sustainable
agriculture. For nearly 50 years, The HSUS has protected
animals through legislation, litigation, investigation,
education, advocacy and field work. The non-profit organization
is based in Washington, DC and has 10 regional offices across
the country.
