Voices for CATs

Voters can choose to vote “yes” to end the trophy hunting of mountain lions for their heads, and fur-trapping of bobcats on the “Cats Aren’t Trophies” ballot measure in November.

Our coalition recently held a press conference at The Wild Animal Sanctuary, northeast of Denver, where we saw a mountain lion, her sweet butterfly-patterned face hiding in the grass, before she walked away, which is quintessential lion behavior when humans are present. We saw two lynx and a bobcat, making up all three of the types of wild cats that will be spared with a yes vote.

Among the cats were CATs supporters: A powerful display of serious-minded voices for true wildlife conservation. 

The room was silent, however, when shown raw footage of packs of dogs chasing lions and bobcats into trees, where they were shot as trophies. The video, “This is NOT Conservation,” can be seen here: tinyurl.com/49n4hpvx

Veterinarian Valerie Johnson, who holds a PhD from Colorado State University, connected the dots. “Mountain lion trophy hunters of Colorado are in the same vein as the people who pay big money to go to Africa and cut the tusks off elephants or heads off lions,” she told the crowd.

Erik Molvar spoke as a hunter, although he’s a well-published biologist in wildlife conservation. 

“Hunters are like me, they subscribe to hunting ethics,” he said. “Hunting for big cats is trophy hunting, pure and simple. It’s not to fill the freezer, it’s to bring home a trophy … to brag about and impress your friends. That doesn’t respect the quarry, so it doesn’t deserve any particular respect from the general public, either.” 

J. Dallas Gudgell, an experienced environmental scientist and member of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes added: “As an Indigenous person concerned with and raised in a framework of right relationship with the natural world, I find trophy hunting and egocentric activity upends nature’s natural balance.” Gudgell, Wildlife and Tribal Policy Director for the International Wildlife Coexistence Network, one of the 100 groups endorsing CATs. 

Veterinarian Christine Capaldo, a specialist in feline medicine, spoke of a bobcat in her southwestern Colorado community who was fur trapped and strangled to death just to sell its fur on the lucrative Chinese fur market. “Allowing unlimited numbers of bobcats to be killed isn’t about wildlife biology or management, it’s about greed, trophies, the despicable fur trade to China and a complete disregard for the welfare of wildlife … Colorado’s native wild cats should not ever be for sale.” 

Mickey Pardo, a Colorado wildlife biologist featured in The New York Times and National Geographic, explained, “As a biologist, I support the CATs ballot measure to ban trophy hunting and trapping of wild cats in Colorado. The scientific evidence is clear that hunting these animals is completely unnecessary and the methods used to hunt them are exceptionally cruel.” 

Deanna Meyer, born and raised in Colorado, runs a family farm in lion country. “One Christmas Day two years ago, I followed the sounds, finding six dogs who treed a terrified bobcat on my land. I was infuriated when I found out that there was nothing I could do. When this initiative passes, it will end this harassment and protect lions and bobcats who aren’t causing conflicts with humans.” 

Delia Malone is a West Slope field ecologist and Wildlife Chair for Colorado Sierra Club, which endorses CATs. “At my home in Redstone, we’re lucky enough to have a cougar family that has lived in the forest above us for generations – we’ve never had a negative encounter with the cougar family … trophy killing of lions contradicts the science, it is ethically wrong and should be outlawed.”

Every speaker at this event shows Colorado voters who we are: A vast coalition of wildlife experts, conservationists and diverse citizens who all agree that this kind of fringe hunting for heads and fur has no place in the great state of Colorado.

As Pat Craig said so well: “Let’s be clear: mountain lions and bobcats are not a food source as many callous individuals like to suggest. Instead, they are hunted solely for their heads and beautiful coats.”

– Julie Marshall, Director of Communications for Cats Aren’t Trophies,  Lafayette