New Mexico Governor Bans Trapping in Wolf Recovery Area

July 30, 2010

Amidst a slew of propaganda from animal rights activists and members of the media, New Mexico governor Bill Richardson ordered the New Mexico Game and Fish Department to impose a six month ban on trapping in the area along the New Mexico-Arizona border where gray wolves were introduced beginning in 1998.

The ban halts trapping in the area until a study can be completed to evaluate the impacts of traps on wolves. It’s assumed that after the study, the Game and Fish Department will impose new restrictions on trapping to minimize potential impacts on the wolves, if trapping is allowed to resume at all. Just how they are going to carry out this study without actually ‘hurting’ more wolves is beyond me.

The New Mexico trapping ban is just the latest in a long line of recent trapping bans and restrictions all across the country, aiming to ‘reduce impacts’ on ‘endangered species’, many of which have been introduced by the government that’s restricting trapping to protect them.

Another interesting observation is the fact that trapping of all types is being banned in the area, not just trapping activities that could impact wolves. For instance, under the executive order it will be illegal to trap with underwater sets for muskrats, or to use live cage traps for bobcat.

It should be interesting to see how the New Mexico trapping ban plays out, especially since the state will have a new governor after the upcoming elections. We’ll be sure to keep you posted on any new developments.

Click here to read Richardson’s executive order

Here are a couple of related news stories:

Richardson orders temporary wolf-trapping ban

NM governor suspends trapping in wolf area

Here’s a map of the recovery area where the trapping ban will be enacted:

NM_wolf_recovery_area