https://biologicaldiversity.or...NDgwNi4xNzM0MzU3OTY0

For Immediate Release, February 18, 2025

Contact:

Tala DiBenedetto, (718) 874-6734 x 555, tdibenedetto@biologicaldiversity.org

Lawsuit Challenges USDA’s Killing of Texas Wildlife

SAN ANTONIO— The Center for Biological Diversity today filed a lawsuit in federal court to stop the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services program from trapping, shooting and poisoning Texas’ wildlife.

The lawsuit also asks the court to order Wildlife Services to update its environmental analyses to account for new science. This includes critical information documenting its killing program’s potential harm to overexploited mountain lion populations and to black bears, which are a threatened species under state law.

“Wildlife Services gambles with the lives of Texas’ beloved black bears every time it sets out dangerous traps to target carnivores for the livestock industry, and it needs to stop,” said Tala DiBenedetto, a carnivore conservation staff attorney at the Center. “The agency needs to quit using outdated and faulty analyses to justify this slaughter, especially when the stakes are so high for mountain lions and black bears.”

Texas is the only state that allows shooting and trapping of its mountain lion populations at any time without bag limits or reporting requirements. As a result, the number of the big cats that people kill in Texas is one of the highest in the country. A recent study shows that mountain lion populations are declining in the state. The small population living in southern Texas suffers from declining genetic diversity and risk of local extinction.

Wildlife Services’ killing of mountain lions also poses grave threats to state-protected black bears. Data collected by Texas shows that multiple black bears have been killed by traps set for mountain lions. But Wildlife Services has never analyzed risks to black bears from its killing of mountain lions in these districts. It also fails to analyze risks to bears from deadly, indiscriminate M-44 cyanide bombs, even though Texas has the highest rate of M-44 use in the country.

A thorough assessment of the dangers to black bears and mountain lions posed by Wildlife Services’ wildlife killing is especially critical considering other pressing threats. Ongoing border wall construction can injure resident bears and lions by destroying and fragmenting habitat. Impeding natural movement inhibits their ability to find food, mates and other resources.

“Studies show that carnivores are ecologically vital, and Texans want to see these majestic creatures continue to exist and thrive in the state,” said DiBenedetto. “The government should focus on protecting sensitive populations who are facing other environmental threats like border wall construction, rather than sinking more taxpayer dollars into killing them.”

Today’s lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, San Antonio Division.

Meh. Liberals and their love of predators.

They never seem to understand where their food comes from. Why is that?

With no proof.

The anti's very very good at lying.

Or just making crap up

While they allow unlimited eagle chopping at their wind farms and incinerate raptors and songbirds that fly over their solar farms.

quote:

to account for new science.

found the problem.

I have a nasty habit of not believing anything from any organization that has.

Diversity.
Racial.
Climate.
Humane.
Republican.
Democrats.
And all the stupid multi letter idiots!

Great list, Saeed.

quote:

Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:
While they allow unlimited eagle chopping at their wind farms and incinerate raptors and songbirds that fly over their solar farms.

Making equally ludicrous counterclaims plays into the hands of those you oppose. Solar panels "incinerate" birds? Please.

There actually are certain types of solar projects that incinerate birds while in flight. It's not the run of the mill solar farms you see populating Texas though.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:

quote:

Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:
While they allow unlimited eagle chopping at their wind farms and incinerate raptors and songbirds that fly over their solar farms.

Making equally ludicrous counterclaims plays into the hands of those you oppose. Solar panels "incinerate" birds? Please.

First time I heard of this also;
https://www.sciencealert.com/t...o-6-000-birds-a-year

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emBY6phmn9E

I think you need to correct your comment or you are the one who looks ludicrous.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:

quote:

Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:
While they allow unlimited eagle chopping at their wind farms and incinerate raptors and songbirds that fly over their solar farms.

Making equally ludicrous counterclaims plays into the hands of those you oppose. Solar panels "incinerate" birds? Please.

quote:

Originally posted by WBT:
There actually are certain types of solar projects that incinerate birds while in flight. It's not the run of the mill solar farms you see populating Texas though.

Right. The rare experimental (and less efficient) water boiling mirror installations can, on rare occasions, kill a hapless bird that flies directly into the beam concentration. I kill about a dozen birds a year that fly into my living room windows, as do thousands of other homeowners (and owners of commercial buildings) with larges plate glass windows/sides. Collectively, we're about 1000X as hard on bird populations as all of the windmills and solar farms that will ever exist.

Propagating myths is always counterproductive to your ultimate goals.

Some of the solar farms kill the shit out of birds. They don't publicize it much.

They use mirrors to reflect more light & concentrate it, which produces extreme heat. The birds catch fire as they fly through.

I found an LA Times piece, so pretty far from right-wing. If you search "bird death solar farms" you'll find articles. This one mentions 6,000 birds a year at one site.

If you're unaware, things that don't fit a certain narrative aren't discussed on 60 Minutes and the like...

https://www.latimes.com/local/...0831-snap-story.html

The solar farm near Vegas has super bright reflection. It's hard to look straight at it as you're driving by on the 15.

Yeah well it’s estimated that 1.3 - 4.0 billion birds a year die because of domestic cats. So a solar farm is pretty insignificant in comparison. But the trumpees loves to blow everything out of proportion to make their case.

Roger, true about the cats. They are damn destructive on wild birds.

quote:

Originally posted by Cougarz:
Yeah well it’s estimated that 1.3 - 4.0 billion birds a year die because of domestic cats. So a solar farm is pretty insignificant in comparison. But the trumpees loves to blow everything out of proportion to make their case.

Must be tough to be you. You TDS people never fail to amuse. I guess you prefer multitrillion dollar fraud with our hard earned tax dollars. Enjoy the next 4...8...12+ years hopefully.

"Texas beloved black bears", jeez 99.9% of Texans do not even know there are bears in Texas. I never heard of a U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services "trapping, shooting and poisoning Texas wildlife". Thank God most of Texas is privately owned and they don't put up with someone telling them what to do.