Cristina Eisenberg sent me this NRDC blog about the theatrical film that they are releasing this Summer entitled WILD THINGS........Focusing on the barbaric killing of wildlife by our federally financed WILDLIFE SERVICES agency, the film then pivots and depicts the new breed of Rancher who is living and coexisting successfully with our large native carnivores........Good stuff NRDC!

Wildlife Services: You've Read the Exposé, Now Watch the Movie

Daniel Hinnerfeld

There were two great Switchboard posts this week (Melissa’s and Sylvia’s) on the shocking three-part exposé in the Sacramento Bee about USDA’s Wildlife Services program. Now that you’ve read about the secretive, brutal and unnecessary practices of this taxpayer funded extermination service, watch this excerpt from NRDC’s forthcoming movie, Wild Things.

The movie, coming out early this summer, shows the real consequences of Wildlife Services’ antiquated and, frankly, brain-dead approach to “managing” native carnivores. Those consequences go beyond the trail of blood and pain that results from needlessly slaughtering thousands of wolves, coyotes, bears and mountain lions every year – it also includes widespread damage to American wilderness, which depends on these keystone species for balance, biodiversity, and health.

On the bright side, Wild Things introduces a new generation of progressive ranchers in the U.S. and Canada who are using non-lethal methods to protect their cattle and sheep from predation. These ranchers reject the idea (dating back at least to America’s westward expansion) that the only good predator is a dead one. By combining traditional animal husbandry and modern technology, they’re finding ways to use the landscape in harmony with wild animals that have lived in North America for millennia.

We should no longer use taxpayer dollars for the widespread slaughter of our native predators. The message has changed, and Wildlife Services needs to do the same.