Gov't Employees Kill Mountain Lions for Sport, Gov't Fires Whistleblower

categories: Hunting, Politics and Law, Wildlife/FreeLiving Animals

Published June 16, 2009 @ 07:05AM PT

The Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility announced last week that "a federal agent who reported that his colleagues had illegally used government airplanes to hunt mountain lions was fired in retaliation." What we have here is not even an friend to animals reporting the killings, but a fellow hunter. The U.S. government hires hunters to kill incredible numbers of free-living animals every year, mostly on behalf of ranchers who don't want the hassle of competing with predators (who must kill to eat and survive) over who gets to kill domesticated animals or of dealing with animals whom they consider just a general nuisance.

Indeed, the press release from PEER explains,

Wildlife Services has also drawn growing opposition from conservation, taxpayer and humane groups who see the agency as a misguided, ineffective subsidy for agribusiness. Each year, Wildlife Services kills approximately 87,000 coyotes as part of an annual wildlife take of more than 2 million animals.

I would argue, of course, that we don't just "see" the agency this way--this describes precisely what it is.

So back to the case at hand: what exactly happened?

Gary Strader worked for Wildlife Services, an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as a hunter and tracker, principally of coyotes, out of the agency’s Ely, Nevada office. His job was abruptly eliminated after he reported both to his regional office, as well as the FBI, that his agency co-workers had –

Illegally shot as many as five mountain lions from government airplanes. These actions constitute a felony under the Airborne Hunting Act, as well as violating Nevada state hunting laws; and

Filed false statements to cover up the offenses.

Mountain lions are difficult to track overland in rugged Nevada terrain. Federal employees in search of trophies (the heads were removed but the animals were not pelted) took the easier course of spotting and shooting mountain lions from the air.

But should we really be surprised by this story? I would assume such killing-for-fun happens often. The government hires professional hunters. This isn't the sort of career you just fall into or a job you take because there's nothing left out there, and you're in desperate need of a paycheck. People who kill professionally do so because they enjoy it, or at best, they're not bothered by it. So should it really be surprising that people the government hires to unnecessarily kill animals use their position to kill even more animals than they're authorized to kill, and in ways they're not authorized to?

Wildlife are killed for people's animal-based diets and clothing, for their convenience, and for their enjoyment every day. This isn't an anomaly.

Please read more (much, much more) here: The USDA's War on Wildlife.

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Comments (6)

I'm speechless. I don't know if I'm the only one thinking that this world is getting every day worse.
Thank you Stephanie for posting, I won't ever understand how "to kill" and "fun" can go together for certain people

Posted by Loredana Versaci on 06/16/2009 @ 07:26AM PT
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I am a voice for all animals and this atrocity needs to end. The animals deserve better and shame on the humans who engaged in this senseless act.

Posted by Karen Anderson Animal Communicator on 06/16/2009 @ 08:20AM PT
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This is appalling...The laws of Nature are out of balance and I believe there are better ways, to manage over-population of certain natural species..beheading these animals seems barbaric in 2009...

where's PETA???

Posted by leatrice brantley on 06/16/2009 @ 09:06AM PT
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One sentence made me wonder how much people in the AR cause/movement knows about this subject.

"Wildlife are killed for people's animal-based diets and clothing, for their convenience, and for their enjoyment every day. This isn't an anomaly."

The wording is a little off.

Wildlife are killed for ALL of human being's diets, whether it be animal based or plant based.

You also have to consider the fact that whether it is a cattle rancher or a soy farmer, the wildlife that interferes with the "business" of farming (organic or not) is killed intentionally to save the crops. They are shot or trapped, depending on whatever it takes. They will also shoot people's pets if they get too close. Welcome to my world, and what I deal with every day in the "last best place" called Montana.

I am not defending what they do. I live in this world. I see it and hear about it daily. The coyotes, fox, rabbits, birds, deer, ground squirrels, elk, bears, wolves, and bison (you get the point) are killed (intentionally) in order to protect the harvest, whether it be cattle, sheep, or plants and produce. Millions of mice and rodents are not even thought of because they are usually accidentally killed in the process.

I am just trying to make people aware of what goes on in the world of wildlife vs. humans and the business of growing food.
It doesn't matter if they are protecting plants or animals. It is a business. It is reality. I would love to see it stop. It is much bigger than just the protection of people's meat eating habits. It is ALL food that is being protected in this manner.

Just wanted everyone to be aware. Most of the NPS people that I know and worked with for years are hunters. They enjoy what they do. They work in a National Park for the reason that as soon as they are off duty, they get to kill things in their back yards. Many get to kill things on the job.
What could be better? (Yes, I'm being sarcastic).

It is not only government workers though. It is most of the people out here. They live to hunt, kill, and fish. Helping to protect the cattle ranchers as well as getting to shoot squirrels and deer to help their neighbors and farmers is just a weekend of neighborly duties.

You just don't hear about it until someone rats out someone else. Even then, very little is done, if anything at all. Thanks for bringing it to everyones attention, but please don't believe that it is only to save the meals on legs.

It is a sad reality, and I would love to see someone put in the time, energy, and letters to help me in this fight. So far, I am on my own it seems. I complained about it and the threats started coming my way. I was "let go" from my job. The bullet holes in my "political" sign in my yard show what their answer was. Thanks to the "good ol' boys club" in these parts, there is little you can do. Just be aware. Defending animals can be a scary thing in a place like this. Believe me, I have lots of stories! I live in this reality.

Posted by Michele McCowan on 06/17/2009 @ 03:18PM PT
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Just a note:

When I mentioned in my comments in the Pregancy at Slaughter: What Happens to the Calves, Part Two, this is what I was talking about.

I was not sure if AR members realize that this happens with ALL food, not only the meat industry.

You said, Stephanie, that it was a matter of intention. I was not clear enough when I was thinking about the wildlife that is shot and trapped to save the agriculture business whether it be cattle or soy.

These animals ARE killed intentionally. They are wild animals. They are in the way. It's not just to save the cattle.
I am so glad to see this article. I really don't think people are aware of the process of other foods. Millions of wild animals are killed to save produce and plants, as well as soy.

Thanks for this post! This is what I was talking about.

Posted by Michele McCowan on 06/17/2009 @ 03:34PM PT
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Wow that is soo disgusting and barbaric..

I am shocked to know that me and the person who may have done that to these beautiful creature stand in the same planet. It horrible to even look at this picture let alone do it. its horrible people need to stop killing these inocent creatures it doesnt make u cool at ALL specially to take pictures of it. it is HORRIBLE.

Posted by Alexa Pasqualini on 10/13/2009 @ 09:13AM PT
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Stephanie is an independent animal rights advocate, a vegan, a tree-hugging environmentalist, and a freelance editor and writer. She lives in St. Louis with an aging corgi-lab and an adolescent rescued pit bull.