Current work in wildlife, rivers, public lands, and climate

SANTA FE—State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard took a major step in beginning to update New Mexico’s archaic and unscientific wildlife policies when she signed an executive order banning killing contests for coyotes and other unprotected species on state land. Wildlife killing contests occur throughout the west and reward participants who shoot the most animals, the biggest animals, and the smallest (youngest) animals. Legislation has been filed to prohibit coyote killing contests throughout New Mexico.

“Ending these brutal contests on state lands is a great start to 2019, but New Mexico still has a lot of work to do to become a leader in scientific, humane, and modern wildlife management,” said Christopher Smith, southern Rockies wildlife advocate for WildEarth Guardians. “The Land Commissioner has demonstrated the type of leadership that the rest of our elected officials would do well to emulate.”