Event: The People’s Forum on Public Lands Trapping: Because It’s Your Turn to be Heard
Please join us:
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
5:30 to 8:30pm
The Wool Warehouse
516 First Street, NW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
The People’s Forum on Public Lands Trapping is an opportunity for the entire New Mexican public to add their voice to the debate over public lands trapping in New Mexico. The event will feature a citizen panel, who will listen to the broad public, and educational materials from TrapFreeNM.org. Film crews will record this public hearing.
The panel features:
The Hon. Judge Peggy Nelson, Chairwoman of the Panel
Peggy Weigle, Executive Director, Animal Humane | New Mexico
Nathan Cote, Former State Representative
Oscar Simpson, former Game Commissioner and hunter
Kathleen Holian, Santa Fe County Commissioner
Martha Marks, Republicans for Environmental Protection
Kathy Sedlacek, New Mexico Mountain Club
Helga Schimkat, Attorney
This summer, New Mexicans generated over 12,000 comments to the Department of Game and Fish that requested a trap ban on public lands. Yet, the New Mexico Game Commission ignored this appeal. On July 21 it expanded trapping across New Mexico, and even lifted the trapping closure in the range of the Mexican wolf.
Other wildlife trapping issues include:
Since 2002, 15 Mexican wolves have been caught in non-governmental traps. Two died. Five more sustained injuries, while three required amputation surgeries (two wolves had entire limbs removed). In the wild, lobos number less than 60 individuals; yet, over 20% of that number have been trapped.
In the last decade, New Mexico supplied over 23,000 bobcat pelts to the world’s fur markets and unknown numbers of foxes, weasels, and other species because they go uncounted by Game and Fish.
Traps can be placed as close as 25 yards from any trail with no warning signs in New Mexico. As a result, many people and pets have had negative injurious encounters. Dogs have lost limbs from trap injuries. People have been injured while helping their dogs.
People, pets, and wildlife were shut out from Game Commission’s recent decision to expand trapping . . . and so were you. It’s now your turn to be heard. Please come out and express your views on trapping before a panel of New Mexico community leaders.
The People’s Forum on Public Lands Trapping: because it’s your turn to be heard.
Visit our Carnivore Protection campaign page to learn more about WildEarth Guardians’ efforts to protect native carnivores.
WildEarth Guardians would like to thank the Sierra Club, Animal Protection of New Mexico, Born Free USA, and TrapFreeNM.org for cosponsoring this important event.
