According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Cougar population in the state of Oregon was nearly wiped out in the mid-1960's. However, now the department considers the current population (estimated at about 5,100) to be healthy.
As one can presumptuously determine that as both populations of Oregon residents and Oregon cougars continue to grow, the number of incidents and damage continue to grow as well.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife have developed a management plan to try and reduce both conflict and damage attributed by both growing populations. The action plan only allows for the management of about 3,000 cougars despite the population being higher than that.
The state does not allow for the use of hounds for the use of hunting cougars which Governor Ted Kulongoski agrees with. The full management plan can be accessed here: Final Cougar Management Plan. This action plan is funded by the sales of hunting licenses. As with all life, there must be some balance between species. Unfortunately, the cougar is at a disadvantage. With human population growing at a unprecedented rate, the cougar conflict will continue to remain or worsen.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Cougar Damage in Oregon
at 9:57 AM
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1 comments:
The plan is brutal. The cougars don't deserve this and human life will continue to expand. Instead of seeking a real long term method that will help save the cougars and tailor towards human well being the conclusion is to just kill the cougars and let hunters trophy them at no cost to the government(a profit actually). This is terrible, and I feel for the life of every cougar taken in vain this is truly terrible. You would expect "great minds" to come up with something intelligent instead of a bunch of euphemism spun off to make it look like they care about the oregon residents.
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