Wildlife Services draws criticism after killing 4M animals last year

E&E News
June 10, 2014

The Agriculture Department's Wildlife Services is facing criticism for killing more than 4 million animals in fiscal 2013.

The agency shot, poisoned, snared or trapped 75,326 coyotes, 973 red-tailed hawks and 419 black bears, among other animals. The overall number of invasive and native species killed was up from an average of around 3 million in recent years.

Wildlife Services is tasked with removing feral hogs, swamp rats and other animals that pose a threat to humans and agricultural production. In a 2012 report, the agency cited a study by the National Agricultural Statistics Service that found wildlife caused $944 million in agricultural damage in 2001.

"As wildlife damage increases, requests for assistance" from government agencies and farmers has also gone up, said Carol Bannerman, an agency spokeswoman.

But lawmakers and conservation groups claim the agency operates without any oversight. In a petition filed in December, the Center for Biological Diversity called Wildlife Services "a rogue agency" that was "out of control."

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) said the agency doesn't disclose its killing methods, including the poisons it uses.

Wildlife Services is "one of the most opaque and obstinate departments I've dealt with," DeFazio said. "We're really not sure what they're doing"