By MARK E. SMITH | Incline Village
The recent media attention on Cecil the lion strikes a chord here in Nevada. In the U.S., there are the same number of mountain lions as there are lions in Africa. For every lion killed by a hunter in Africa, four are killed in Nevada, and scores more are mutilated in traps — lost toes, crushed paws, broken legs, broken teeth, and worse. Mountain lions, like African lions, are apex predators, and the health of the entire ecosystem depends on having a vibrant, sustainable population. Yet the Nevada Wildlife Commission treats our mountain lions as little more than vermin. Why is this? Perhaps it’s because the nine appointed commissioners — all but two of whom are hunters — have been “captured” by the interests of hunting and trapping groups. It’s time to reform how Nevada manages its wildlife. It’s time for the general public to have a voice in policy setting.
