USDA Wildlife Services: Tax Payer Funded Extermination

Wildlife Services - TAX PAYER FUNDED EXTERMINATION calls attention to a largely unknown program run by the USDA that kills approximately 4 million wild native animals a year in the U.S. despite it’s primary noble purpose being to eradicate invasive creatures introduced from other areas of the world. They do this mostly at the call of ranchers, farmers and a few airports who for a variety of reasons view wildlife as a threat.  There indeed are some areas that wildlife needs to be managed for the safety of people, but exactly how and why this agency has enacted a kill first mentality to the tune of 4 million native animals a year on average is beyond comprehension.  And there is no transparency to find out exactly what is going on.  Bobcats, coyotes, foxes, river otters, prairie dogs, black bears, red-tailed hawks and many other species are in their crosshairs and the methods are as diverse as the species: cyanide poisoning, leg hold traps, neck snares, and shooting from planes and helicopters are just a few.  This is a government agency run amok with members of Congress believing this program is secret, opaque and it’s officials are obstinate.  And to top it all off, we are paying for it. Yes, USDA Wildlife Services is funded by the taxpayers. It is time to demand that this agency step out of the dark ages and open up it’s operation to the scrutiny of the public or we the people simply demand that it be defunded.   

Artist: Rob Whitehair

Digital mixed media: Pencil on Procreate, Photoshop, Acrylic