44th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2000

REQUESTING THE STATE GAME COMMISSION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISH REFRAIN FROM INDISCRIMINATELY KILLING COUGARS.

WHEREAS, desert bighorn sheep are a state-listed endangered species; and

WHEREAS, the continued survival of desert bighorn sheep depends on several factors, including escape terrain, water supplies, forage, open habitat without vision-obstructing vegetation and limited harassment from human activity such as mines, recreational users, housing, domestic dogs, roads, fences and aircraft; and

WHEREAS, many of the areas currently occupied by desert bighorn sheep suffer from habitat degradation; and

WHEREAS, the department of game and fish publication Evaluation of Desert Bighorn Sheep Habitat in New Mexico

states that escape terrain and suitable habitat are limited in areas, especially the Ladron mountains, in which indiscriminate cougar killing is planned in order to ostensibly protect desert bighorn sheep; and

WHEREAS, previous attempts to increase the population of desert bighorn sheep through indiscriminate cougar killing have proven to be ineffective, for example in the San Andres, Peloncillo and Little and Big Hatchet mountains; and

WHEREAS, the department has not scientifically evaluated the effectiveness of its recent program of killing only offending cougars to limit desert bighorn sheep mortality; and

WHEREAS, the department has not yet published a scientific, peer-reviewed study designed for evaluating the effectiveness of indiscriminately killing cougars in order to ostensibly protect desert bighorn sheep; and

WHEREAS, the department has no plans to use the flexibility built into its cougar management plan to mitigate any negative impacts from additional cougar killing; and

WHEREAS, the department has not considered the high likelihood that vacancies created by indiscriminate cougar killing would be quickly filled by other transient cougars, thereby rendering its cougar-killing efforts ineffective at protecting desert bighorn sheep; and

WHEREAS, the department should pursue a more comprehensive desert bighorn recovery effort, as outlined in the report of the conservation breeding specialist group meeting held in Santa Fe in July 1999;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the state game commission and the department of game and fish be requested to refrain from indiscriminate cougar killing with respect to desert bighorn sheep recovery and instead implement sound scientific approaches to desert bighorn sheep recovery, including proactive measures to enhance desert bighorn sheep habitat, thereby reducing the vulnerability of desert bighorn populations to cougar predation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the state game commission and the director of the department of game and fish.