As a professional biologist with more than 14 years of experience studying wildlife, I strongly support the ballot initiative to ban hunting and trapping of mountain lions and bobcats in Colorado.
A recent column by Andrew Carpenter claims that hunting mountain lions is necessary to prevent conflict with humans, and protect elk and deer. But empirical studies have repeatedly found that, if anything, mountain lion hunting makes conflict worse.
Hunters tend to kill older, dominant males, which causes young, inexperienced males to move in from other populations. Younger lions are more prone to conflict because they lack the experience to avoid humans and catch wild prey. As for deer and elk, a study spanning 11 states found no evidence that hunting mountain lions led to increased deer populations.
Voters should know that an explicit goal of state wildlife agencies is to provide hunting opportunities. They don’t decide to have a hunting season for mountain lions because science indicates that there is no other choice. They do so because if some people want to hunt lions for fun, they see it as their job to facilitate that.
Scientific expertise only factors into the equation in determining how many individuals can be killed without causing population collapse. State wildlife agencies also do not consider animal welfare when setting hunting policy.
If voters believe it is unethical to chase down mountain lions with dogs and leave orphaned kittens to starve to death, then it is up to voters to ban the practice themselves.
Mickey Pardo
Fort Collins
