I want to thank The Durango Herald for its coverage of Cats Aren’t Trophies and the many Coloradans who signed the petition to ban trophy hunting mountain lions and trapping bobcats.
This measure will be on the November ballot! It will end inhumane trophy hunting and trapping of bobcats, but still allows Colorado Parks & Wildlife to use nonlethal and lethal measures, if a specific cat is a threat to humans, pets, or livestock.
I have a deep love for wildlife and feel privileged to see mountain lions and bobcats in the Durango area. I and others felt we had to gather signatures of fellow Coloradans who share a similar love of these magnificent cats to ban cruel and unnecessary trophy hunting by dogs and trapping bobcats for their fur.
Mountain lions and bobcats are important in maintaining a balance in nature. Wildlife biologists know that mountain lions self-regulate their numbers, whereas deer and elk do not. Mountain lions keep our deer and elk herds healthy by ridding them of chronic wasting disease.
Trophy hunters typically kill the adult male lions, creating unstable populations that lead to social chaos and more conflicts with humans and pets. Additionally, almost half of the lions killed by trophy hunters are females who spend 75% of their lives raising young or are pregnant.
Fellow Coloradans, help educate others on this issue and vote “yes” in November to ban trophy hunting and trapping of these magnificent cats.
Margaret Ann Mayer
Durango
