While Valentine’s Day has come and gone for folks in the Northeast, its safe to say romance, and in this case, gland secretions, still linger in the March air for many of the region’s wildlife populations.
Being in the wildlife control industry, mid-February tends to signal a spike in my phone usage and “windshield time” with calls of pungent odors in the crisp night air and depredation issues on livestock with Tasmanian-devil-like pandemonium. It spells an important milestone time of year for two prominent members of the mammalian super-family Musteloidea - specifically the striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) and the American mink (Neovison vison). Why the sudden spike in activity during this time of year? Breeding season of course!
I've been watching too many Canadian trapping videos lately. But l love listening to his accent and his camp.
"A single wolf has the energy needs equal to 10-12 full-size elk a year."
Did you see the beautiful red fox he snared? 🦊 Glad to see his fur season worked out well for him, it will make him a little money 💰 and put long-lasting, natural and organic fur on the market instead of disposable plastic furs. 🌎
Trapping provides important benefits to New Yorkers including:
the control of nuisance damage; economic benefits to trappers and people involved in the fur industry; and recreation to trappers.
The 14 species of furbearing animals in New York are abundant and their populations are secure. DEC regulates trapping seasons to ensure the continued security of New York's furbearer populations.
There are about 10,000 trappers in New York. This number varies depending on the year and fur market conditions. New York State is one of the nation's top producers of wild furs for the commercial fur trade. New York City remains a center for the production and marketing of fur garments.
The agency's assistant administrator, Alexandra Dunn, said in a statement that the EPA had worked with the Agriculture Department “to ensure there are safe and effective tools for farmers and ranchers to protect livestock.”
I think concerns are overblown. Potassium cyanide has a short half-life when it's exposed to oxygen. It's unlikely to be passed from one animal to another. It's been used for nearly a century in one form or another, with a good safety record.
It's a good tool for predator management and healthy ecosystems when foothold traps are not a practical alternative in very remote country, where it's not practical to check a trap line every 24-48 hours. Where used, potassium cyanide trap-lines are checked at least once a week. Dogs and other domestic pets should not be allowed to run off-leash. They do enormous damage to ecosystems.