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The popular refrain of “lions, bobcats and lynx shouldn’t be killed for trophies” is an example of ballot advocacy without facts or nuance. (Too much democracy, perhaps?) Proposition 127 on the November Colorado ballot should be defeated.
Most easily, lynx are already protected by state and federal laws. Kill one and there are penalties. A lot of effort went into their introduction beginning in 1999, including into the San Juan Mountains above Durango, an effort that wasn’t meant to provide trophy hunting.
Neither mountain lions nor bobcats can be killed for trophies. That’s a current regulation. Their meat must be shown to wildlife officials to be prepared for human consumption.
And, effort goes into being certain that the lions killed aren’t heavily female. Lions killed must be reported to state wildlife officials, and subsequent permits will be limited to males, if necessary. We’ve seen results of 60% males killed, 40% female as the mix needed to properly maintain the species.
Mountain lions play a role in managing other species (reducing the deer population, a popular one), but allowing their numbers to grow risks interactions that might not be desirable. At the La Plata County Fairgrounds adjacent to Durango High School last week, they are in Durango’s core.
The management of lion and bobcat populations should be left to the professionals, and The Durango Herald’s editorial board urges a “no” vote on Proposition 127. There will be plenty of “yes” votes on the Front Range where lions aren’t seen or thought about much, but let’s register local feelings as strongly as possible.
