Colorado wildlife officials are proposing killing more mountain lions and black bears in the coming months, reports The Denver Post. The move comes as the state has faced a dwindling deer population.
This “predator control” push is aimed at saving fawns. At its heart, the effort comes down to economics. Deer hunting is a major part of Colorado’s hunting industry. As such, the activity is vital to Parks and Wildlife revenues.
However, killing bears and mountains is a highly controversial solution. The Humane Society is fighting the effort, labeling it as cruel. The nonprofit says targeting adult bears and lions will orphan the animals’ cubs and kittens. The baby animals will then starve or be eaten. A spokeswoman for the group added that the effort won’t work. She insisted humans are responsible for the mule deer decline. “Predators and prey have lived together for eons,” she added