Utah’s Attack on Mountain Lions

In Utah, “mountain lion management” means ruthless killing of these big cats of the Americas.

Most of the problem is the 86-percent lay-populated Wildlife Board, whose members make management decisions based on old, discredited notions about predators, rejecting science and counsel of the state’s trained wildlife professionals.

The latest debacle occurred June 11, when the Wildlife Board disregarded the advice and urging of Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) biologists, who proposed amending the 2023 state law that opened permit-free, year-round mountain lion killing, including by traps and neck snares.

That 2023 law outraged environmental and animal wellness communities. The Western Wildlife Conservancy and Mountain Lion Foundation filed a lawsuit (ongoing), asserting that the law violates Utah’s Right to Hunt and Fish Act, which requires a “reasonable regulation of hunting.”

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Guest opinion: Utah’s attack on mountain lions | News, Sports, Jobs - Standard-Examiner