The Fund for Animals is condemning the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS) for its national trend of persecuting cougars in the western
United States. The Fund is one of nine state and national citizens'
organizations that are suing the USFWS to stop a federally funded plan
to kill 50% of the cougars in two regions of Oregon. The Fund is also
protesting a similar plan in Arizona that will kill up to 75% of the
cougar population in an area of the Tonto National Forest.
According to The Fund, this national assault is little more
than predator control under the guise of science. In Oregon,
the cougar killing will be used to evaluate the effects of
predators on the elk population. In Arizona, the study will
focus on bighorn sheep. In both cases, The Fund claims, the
studies will be flawed."There are many factors that
influence elk and bighorn sheep populations,"said Michael
Markarian, Executive Vice President of The Fund for Animals.
"The bighorn sheep herd in Arizona has actually increased in
size since 1998."Markarian points to other factors, such as
disease (introduced by domestic sheep), drought, and a lack
of food, which take their toll on elk and bighorn herds.
Markarian added,"Federal and state agents are simply trying
to eliminate predators who are viewed as
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