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USSAF Petitions FWS to Manage Mountain Lions

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (USSAF) and a coalition of other conservation groups have filed a petition with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) asking that it take immediate steps to conserve the Big Horn Sheep population in the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge.  The move will help confirm the precedent that the FWS must enact reasonable management plans when predators begin to destroy local populations of animals.  

The desert bighorn sheep population on Kofa has declined over 50 percent in recent years.  The dramatic decline began to occur after mountain lions first began appearing in the Refuge around 2001.  

Given that mountain lions are estimated to kill 13 sheep annually and that the annual replenishing of the Kofa bighorn population is only 34 lambs, the lack of mountain lion management will likely further decimate sheep numbers.  Already, a reduced bighorn population has led to diminishing viewing and photography opportunities and could soon lead to the suspension of hunting programs.

The petition outlines numerous flaws with non-lethal methods of controlling the mountain lion population.  Additionally, the Arizona Game and Fish Department has determined that the overall state population of mountain lions, estimated at 3,000, is healthy and that eliminating those in Kofa will not adversely affect their overall numbers.

The petition for action was filed by the USSA, Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society, Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation, Wild Sheep Foundation, Arizona Deer Association and the Yuma Valley Rod & Gun Club.

“The FWS has clear statutory obligations to conserve the bighorn sheep population in Kofa,” stated Bud Pidgeon, USSAF president and CEO.  “The USSAF and the other petitioners anticipate a prompt response from FWS and hope this will set precedent for other similar management situations.”