California wildlife managers approve ban on bobcat trapping

California on Wednesday became the first U.S. state to ban commercial and sport trapping of bobcats, amid growing controversy over hunting the abundant predators whose pelts can fetch hundreds of dollars. The California Fish and Game Commission voted 3-2 to approve the measure, which was supported by Project Coyote and other conservation groups that gathered 30,000 signatures in an online petition. The move comes less than a year after California took pioneering action by banning contests that award prizes for killing animals like coyotes that are not subject to hunting regulations.

Continue reading...