Wildlife Services should conduct a more in-depth environmental analysis of its predator-killing activities in Idaho than it has in the past, and consider abandoning lethal methods entirely, many individuals and organizations told the agency in scoping comments submitted over the past month.
In December, Wildlife Services, an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, sought public comment on issues that it should address in a revised environmental assessment of its damage-management activities in Idaho.
According to a bulletin published by the agency, predator species that will be addressed in the EA include coyotes, badgers, black and grizzly bears, magpies, bobcats, ravens, mountain lions, raccoons, red foxes and striped skunks.
Todd Grimm, the agency’s state director, said management of all those species is being conducted under EAs drafted in 1996 and 2002. He said current guidelines from the Department of Agriculture advise rewriting EAs every five years. He said the new document will not include wolf control, which is addressed in a separate EA drafted in 2011.
via Groups criticize predator control – Idaho Mountain Express Newspaper: Environment.