Animals at Risk

Badgers

Found statewide, badgers prefer ponderosa pine forests. Badgers are small, opportunistic predators that eat a variety of foods. They are phenomenal diggers. A badger captured in a trap set for a coyote or fox that is not well anchored can dig out the trap chain and disappear with the trap still on its foot. A slow death from starvation or gangrene awaits. There is no bag limit.

Bobcats

These small, beautiful spotted cats are found statewide but no one knows how many there are. They tend to be in more rough and rocky habitat than coyotes and thus, though they eat the same kinds of prey, mostly don’t compete with them. Alone among “furbearing” species in NM, bobcats are regulated by the CITES treaty (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna)which is supposed to protect animals whose body parts are traded internationally.

Because bobcats are spotted, their pelts could be mistaken for more imperiled species. So, in order to sell a bobcat pelt, it must be tagged as such by theNM Department of Game and Fish. Although there is no limit on how many bobcats can be killed by a single trapper, at least there is a way to know how many are being sold because of this tagging requirement.

A study of this data examining the years from 1978 to 1987, the last time trapping activity and pelt prices were high, concluded that bobcat killing was placing the populations into decline in NM. The only thing that saved them was the crash in pelt prices in the 90’s. Bobcat pelts are more valuable than others, commonly bringing several hundred dollars each. The more spotted the white belly fur and the larger the animal, the more it is worth.

Bobcat populations in parts of the Midwest have beenexterminated by trapping and they have never rebounded. Bobcats are also hunted with dogs and using predator calls.

Coyotes

Found statewide, coyote populations are not in danger. After the successful elimination of wolves and grizzlies by ranchers, coyote numbers have expanded to fill the void. Coyotes mostly capture and eat small rodents and rabbits. Occasionally they will prey upon young deer or cattle. This is the source of their vilification.

However, it is clear that the same lethal tactics used so successfully to extirpate the larger carnivores don’t work with coyotes and in fact may make the problem worse in the short term. When coyote populations are disrupted by unlimited killing, their social structure and the resulting bounty of available food makes for more breeding pairs and more offspring. These young coyotes are the ones most likely to get into trouble with humans and diversify their food preferences away from the normal rodent fare.

Coyote persecution doesn’t work to limit coyote numbers. If it did, they would be extinct by now. Coyotes are the most commonly trapped species in New Mexico. They may be trapped all year long. There is no limit to how many a single trapper can kill and no license or fee is required to kill them. Because of this, these trappers are not on the radar screen of the
Department of Game and Fish and there is no way to know how many traps are being set out for coyotes or how many people are doing it.

Coyotes also fight the trap the most and thus the largest, strongest and most damaging traps are set for them. After a wet winter, when rodent populations are expanding, it should be remembered that NM has bubonic plague in every county and also Hanta virus. Both of these diseases are potentially fatal to humans and are carried by rodents. Coyotes are effective at keeping rodent populations in check.

Coyotes are also hunted using predator calls.

Foxes

There are several species of fox in New Mexico. The most common are the grey foxes occurring almost statewide. These are unique in the canine world in that they have the ability to climb trees. Red foxes are native, but have also been introduced from Europe. Some hybridizing has occurred between the two, but the hybrids are still red foxes. They are not as abundant and grey foxes and are present only in the northwest and southeast portions of the state. Two other species of fox, the swift and kit foxes, are considered the same species by some and are often collectively called desert foxes. These foxes are not common and are apparently in decline. But unlimited trapping is allowed for them too.

Raccoons

These “masked bandits” are associated mostly with river and stream habitats. Not only are they trapped using both leg-hold and killing traps, but it is not uncommon for them to be pursued with dogs. In some states, it is legal to kill them at night by shining a spotlight on them. It is not legal to do this in New Mexico for any species. There is no bag limit.

Ringtails

These animals have a banded tail like a raccoon but they are smaller. They inhabit rocky areas at mid-elevation. They eat small prey like rodents, insects, and lizards and also fruits and berries. Their pelts are not valuable, but there is no bag limit.




Long-Tailed Weasel

Long-tailed weasels occupy varied habitat. These small predators are between 10 and 20 inches in length including the tail. They are strictly carnivorous and can kill and eat rabbits that are bigger than they are. The pelt is not valuable like its close relatives the ermine or mink. There is no bag limit.






Beavers

Actually large rodents, these important aquatic animals are key to shaping the environment in river and stream systems. They insure with their dams that water runoff is slowed and erosion minimized. The resulting pond is essential habitat for many other creatures, especially in the dry southwest.
Beavers are believed to mate for life and have a vibrant family life with young staying with their parents for two years. Beavers may not be trapped and kept on National Forest land in the southern part of the state. There are river areas statewide that could support beavers but that do not have them in part because trapping removed them. Beavers are caught with lethal connibear traps and also leg-hold traps set in such a way that the beaver drowns. For an animal that can hold its breath a long time, death by drowning can take 20 minutes and is particularly brutal for this species. There is no bag limit.

Muskrats

Looking like a small beaver with a round bare tail, these animals are found statewide wherever there is enough water and vegetation to support them. Their pelts have almost no value. There is no bag limit.






Skunks

Like coyotes, skunks of any species may be trapped without a license, nor is there any bag limit or season. They may be killed year round. The most common are the striped and spotted skunks. Less common are hog-nosed and hooded skunks. No one knows how many skunks there are and what level of trapping is harmful. Of concern are the numbers and well being of
populations of hog-nosed and hooded skunks. But there are no bag limits on these either.

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