Dear Friend of Wildlife,

I wanted to make sure that you didn’t miss last week’s email announcement (below) of two recent victories for wildlife that Project Coyote supporters helped make happen.

I am pleased to share even more great news for wildlife: Just yesterday Project Coyote, the Animal Legal Defense Fund and allies settled a lawsuit with Mendocino County in California that requires the county to immediately suspend its contract with the USDA Wildlife Services agency that administers its predator control program- pending a full environmental review as required under the California Environmental Quality Act. This federal agency kills hundreds of coyotes, bears, mountain lions, bobcats and other wildlife annually in Mendocino alone. This precedent-setting case made front page news in today’sSan Francisco Chronicle which you can read here.

Such victories are possible because supporters like you share Project Coyote’s concern for native carnivores and other wildlife. With your help, we will continue to knock down destructive predator control practices and build support for peaceful coexistence through the courts, the legislature, and in communities across North America.

Please continue your support of Project Coyote by making a donation today.

I am thrilled to share with you two victories for bobcats!

Last week the California Fish and Game Commission denied a proposal by the California Trappers Association to repeal the bobcat trapping ban that you helped out in place last year.  We are very pleased that the commissioners* stayed firm in their decision to support the hard-fought bobcat trapping ban.

I’m proud to report that 12 Project Coyote representatives and supporters, and 11 students from Manor Elementary School in Fairfax, testified before the Commission. They spoke on behalf of bobcats and in support of our two petitions (with the Center for Biological Diversity) that would ban night hunting and trapping in places where wolves are recovering. I hand delivered more than 3,000 letters from supporters to the Commission supporting the ban. Thank you for acting to protect California’s wildlife! Both petitions are moving forward with agency staff. We will keep you posted on their progress.

On April 13th the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department rejected a proposal that would have opened the first bobcat hunting and trapping season in the state since 1989. Project Coyote’s New Hampshire representative Chris Schadler has been deeply involved in this issue, along with a statewide coalition of conservation and animal protection organizations. Thousands of New Hampshire residents weighed in to express their support for bobcats remaining safe in the wild and not cruelly trapped or shot for sport and profit. Read more here and here.

It is so encouraging to see those who appreciate wildlife taking a stand to protect native carnivores from those who enjoy killing them. We are the majority and we are showing up in greater numbers. Through our Keeping It Wild youth program, young people are lending their impassioned voices to Project Coyote actions to protect wildlife. We applaud their energy and look forward to seeing them play a greater role.

Project Coyote is at the forefront in mobilizing grassroots support for bobcats, coyotes, wolves and other predators. We need your help to continue this important work. A one-time gift or a monthly donation–at any level–will help defend wildlife and promote co-existence.

Thanks to you and to our allies, bobcats are safe from traps in California and New Hampshire.

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* California Fish & Game Commissioners Eric Sklar and Anthony Williams voted in support of maintaining the trapping ban while Commissioner Jacque Hostler-Carmesin voted in support of the California Trappers Association’s proposal to repeal the trapping ban.