Colorado embarks on experimental predator control killing of more lions and bears to try to save

Colorado embarks on experimental “predator control” killing of more lions and bears to try to save dwindling deer

FORT COLLINS – Colorado wildlife commissioners quashed wide opposition Wednesday and voted unanimously to embark on a controversial predator control experiment to euthanize mountain lions and bears — a $4.5 million effort aimed at reviving the state’s dwindling population of deer.

While previous science points to human development and degradation of habitat as the primary problem, commissioners said recent Colorado Parks and Wildlife research persuaded them to test a hypothesis that manipulating the number of bears and lions might help stop deer’s decline.

“We’re trying to understand what contributes to it,” commissioner Chris Castilian said shortly before the vote. “Our main motivation is to get to the bottom of the deer declines we’ve seen. … Everybody is concerned about the mule deer population. We need to be very sensitive as stewards of that. … More science is always better.”

But the decision, after more than a year of deliberation and delay, has set off opposition from the Humane Society, wildlife conservation groups and outside scientists who argued killing more lions and bears is costly and ineffective.

Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/2016/12/14/colorado-wildlife-predator-control-experiment-kill-lions-bears/