On April 2, 2019, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham officially signed Senate Bill 76 into law. The bill prohibits coyote killing contests across the state. New Mexico is now the second state, after Vermont, to ban killing contests through legislation.
Killing contests occur throughout the West and reward participants for slaughtering animals. Approximately 30 such contests take place annually in New Mexico, though the best available science indicates that indiscriminate coyote killing can actually result in more coyotes and more depredation.
“Banning this activity is a step towards science-based and ethical wildlife management and we are grateful to the bill’s sponsors and supporters and the governor,” said Guardians’ Chris Smith.
Read the press release.
