Trappers played the rabies card recently, asserting, “trappers of Montana eliminate thousands of predators, which keep rabies at bay.” This is an interesting claim given that “skunks and bats account for more than 90 percent of all reported cases,” according to Montana’s Department of Livestock. The odd cat, dog, horse, and cattle round out the rabies picture in Montana.
Waging a trapping slaughter war on “thousands” of native Montana predators is not just ineffective—it’s counterproductive. Among a skunk’s most likely predators are coyotes and foxes—animals who can be trapped in unlimited numbers, not even requiring a trapping license for state residents.
Further discrediting the rabies red herring, Brian Giddings, furbearer coordinator for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, has stated, “FWP regulates furbearer trapping seasons for recreational harvest opportunities. Montana’s harvest seasons are not based on reducing or controlling diseases.” Backing him are professional biologists writing in “Trapping and Furbearer Management in North American Wildlife Conservation”: “…regulated trapping will not (and is not designed to) eradicate diseases…”
Laying to rest this feeble attempt at frightening the public with the rabies bogeyman, don’t forget that the initiative in question, I-177, “allows trapping by public employees and their agents to protect public health and safety, protect livestock and property, or conduct specified scientific and wildlife management activities.”
“Skunks are beneficial as “excellent ‘mousers,’ and may even be better at it then [sic] cats. They eat many mice, rats, other small rodents, grubs, and a variety of insects,” writes FWP. Nature has figured out how to balance animal populations to everyone’s benefit. False claims about disease control reveal that trappers are in it for themselves.
Please vote to eliminate trapping on Montana’s public lands for the safety of people, pets, and wildlife. Vote ‘yes’ on I-177.
Anja Heister, Ph.D.
Missoula