WILLIAMS, OREGON – At a hearing before Oregon lawmakers Friday in Newport, Big Wildlife urged officials to immediately halt the state's plan to kill as many as 2,000 cougar across the state. The wildlife conservation group also called for a complete ban on trophy hunting of cougars in Oregon. Citing a growing body of science, Big Wildlife testified that aggressive lethal control, along with liberalized hunting of cougars, has disrupted the state's cougar population and may actually be increasing conflicts with the big cats. The Williams-based organization said the cougar plan and trophy hunting kill cougars indiscriminately and do not target the very rare individual cougar responsible for conflicts.

"Tragically, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has turned cougars into the Frankenstein of wildlife. The agency's cougar plan is meant to whip people into hysteria and essentially encourage them to get out their pitch forks and torches and corner cougars with packs of hounds. Instead of demonizing cougars, state officials should be educating Oregonians about how to live among wildlife and protecting these magnificent animals," said Spencer Lennard, Big Wildlife's Program Director.

Science about cougars reveals indiscriminate and widespread killing of cougars through trophy hunting and expansive lethal control are taking a toll on the region's cougar population and actually increasing conflicts with humans and domestic animals. For example, the Seattle Times reported in March that a study by Washington State University's (WSU) Large Carnivore Conservation Laboratory (LCCL) found hunters have killed off many older males, as well as targeted female cougars, causing their numbers to plummet. LCCL team leader Dr. Robet Wielgus told the Times, "killing large numbers of cougars creates social chaos...Trophy hunters often target adult males, which act as a stabilizing force in cougar populations. The adults police large territories and kill or drive out young males. With the grown-ups gone, the 'young hooligans' run wild." Dr. Wielgus further noted to the Times, "Evidence suggests cougars under two years of age, just learning to live on their own, account for the majority of run-ins with people and domestic animals…Every time you kill a dominate male, about three of these young guys come to the funeral."

In a September 8 letter to committee members, Representative Peter Buckley (D-Ashland) urged his fellow lawmakers to suspend the plan until the WSU study and other science about cougars were thoroughly reviewed. "The recent study from the state of Washington has served to heighten my concern. I respectfully request the committee join me in taking whatever steps are necessary to suspend the current plan until we are sure that what we are doing with the cougar plan is not having the exact opposite effect of the intent," wrote Representative Buckley.

Instead of continuing its aggressive management of cougars, Big Wildlife urged Oregon to employ non-lethal techniques that are far more effective in reducing conflicts, such as appropriate land-use planning, improved animal husbandry, and public education. The group said the state should be assisting individuals to take simple steps, like avoiding feeding wildlife, bringing companion animals in at night, sheltering domestic farm and ranch animals, installing motion lighting around property, recreating with others while in cougar country, and educating their families about cougars to help prevent conflicts with the big cats.

"A rancher who fails to remove animal carcasses from pastures or the landowner who refuses to properly secure garbage might as well put out a steak with A-1 sauce and ring a dinner bell. They are going to attract predators. It is fair to ask, “Why should a cougar pay the fatal price when humans essentially bait the animals?” asked Brian Vincent, Big Wildlife's Communications Director.

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