Plateau on the Radio - Episode 37 Wildlife Issues and Killing Contests on the Plateau

Listen to Episode 37 HERE...

Coyote in the grasslands (photo by Greg Kramos, USFWS)

There is a terrible practice out there friends that we all need to know about...it is hard to look at, and difficult to stomach, but important to shine a spotlight on it so that we can try to change things.

They are called Wildlife Killing Contests, and chances are they are happening on public lands near you. Each year thousands of coyotes, foxes, bobcats, prairie dogs, crows, and even wolves are targeted in these horrific events where contestants win prizes and awards for killing the animals. These contests are largely un-monitored by state and federal wildlife agencies, and it is up to folks like you and advocates like our great guest Betsy Klein to put a stop to them.

Betsy, who is the founder of I AM WOLF NATION, and co-founder of Plan B to Save Wolves, educates us on what these killing contests are, the misinformation given for their existence, and shares with us how to best assist in the effort to ban wildlife killing contests in Arizona, and in your neck of the woods.

The end result of a horrific contest (photo courtesy of Southwest Environmental Center)

Also on the program, micro-trash and the impacts on wildlife, lead-poisoning among one of the most periled species on the Plateau; the California Condor, and something positive you can do to assist birds during the cold months courtesy of our resident forager extraordinaire Ashley Doyle.

Special thanks to Emily Renn of Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery for helping to set this episode up.

Further Information:

I AM WOLF NATION (A Call to Action Group)

Plan B to Save Wolves (Organization)

A Death of Ethics: Is Hunting Destroying Itself? (Article by Todd Wilkinson, mentioned in the interview)

Project Coyote (Organization)

Killing Games: Wildlife in the Crosshairs (movie trailer mentioned in the interview)

Sedona Wolf Week (Regional Event happening March 25th -30th, 2019)