A chance to participate in a new study on carnivore conservation and management

We are posting this intriguing research effort by Dr. Jeremy Bruskotter. You are invited to participate.

Readers of the Wildlife News:

My colleagues and I are preparing a nationwide survey to help us better understand people’s preferences for large carnivore conservation and management.  In particular, we are interested in understanding the attitudes and policy preferences of people who are knowledgeable and/or care deeply about these issues (if you’re reading this, you fit that description).

The survey consists of questions designed to assess your attitudes and preferences concerning large carnivore conservation, endangered species restoration, and gray wolf management.  If this topic interests you, we could really use your help!  The questionnaire should take you about 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

You can take the survey here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XKZ8PCL
(More information is provided if you follow the link)

Thank you for your interest!

Jeremy Bruskotter, PhD
School of Environment & Natural Resources, The Ohio State University

Contact: 614/247-2118

Exposure of “predator derby” goes viral, Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife takes down dead coyote photos

Photography web site gives exposure to killing contest, provokes big reaction-

The “predator derby” held annually by Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife is not well known outside of its participants. I don’t know about it until someone brought it up in comments. One web site, however, really took note of it.

A story at iamidaho.deviantart.com about Sportsmen for Fish and Wildife’s carnivore-killing contest apparently went viral. As a result SFW has taken down their photos of dead carnivores killed in a “predator derby” and Nikon has withdrawn their apparent sponsorship of SFW’s webpage. However, the photos are still up at http://iamidaho.deviantart.com/

See more at  http://iamidaho.deviantart.com/journal/28470288/#comments.

The event to see who can kill the most “predators” is still planned for the Pocatello area on Nov. 27th – 28th. For more information on the event and others in Idaho, go to http://www.sfwidaho.org/SFW/Idaho_Predator_Derby.html.

We had no idea this effort to widen knowledge of the event was going on. It certainly shows the power of the web to make folks aware.

African big cats are picky about where they live

It’s not just a mater of available food-

Maybe they think cropland is just plain ugly?

No Place Like Home: Africa’s Big Cats Show Postcode Preference. ScienceDaily

American Carnivores Evolved To Avoid Each Other, New Study Suggests

Bears and canids overlap the most-

American Carnivores Evolved To Avoid Each Other, New Study Suggests. ScienceDaily

Native Carnivores are scared from Parks by even quiet human use

Native Carnivores Being Scared Away From Parks. RedOrbit.