On Tuesday, July 28th, some B-list celebrities announced a “Ban The Trap” billboard and social media campaign in an effort to support the complete ban of bobcat trappings throughout California.

Mind you, this campaign comes at a time when our state is facing increased wildlife predator attacks on urban children, household pets and livestock because of the drought and continued new home construction.

Last time I checked, Hollywood is hardly a global center for wildlife management expertise. Why do these b-list celebrities have any credibility? They have no grasp of the issue, which stems from a 2013 legislative bill (AB 1213) by Democratic Assemblyman Richard Bloom (Santa Monica) to establish a no bobcat trapping zone in the vicinity of Joshua Tree National Park. The measure directed the California Fish & Game Commission to establish very narrowly established zones around other places in the state where wildlife if protected.

But in blatant defiance of the California State Legislature, the California Democratic leadership in both the Senate and Assembly, and Governor Jerry Brown (See Brown Directive), the California Fish & Game Commission will be considering two proposals Aug. 5 on an outright statewide ban on bobcat trapping.

What surprises us, is that proposals ignore Governor Brown’s request when signing the bill into law that the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (DFW) first conduct research to assess the state’s bobcat populations so that any decision will be made according to data and science. This has not been done. A bi-partisan group of legislators have either sent letters or testified before the commission to make it clear than an outright ban would go against the legislative intent and that any decisions need to be scientifically based.

A statewide ban on bobcat trappings would handcuff local officials by preventing them from protecting local communities, trapping rabid and problem bobcats that threaten pets, livestock and humans.

It is apparently that the billboard participants need a dose of reality. Bobcats are not the friendly Cheshire Cat or anything to fool around with.
911 call from a 12 year-old girl after her 13 year-old friend and mother were attacked by a 40-pound bobcat:

 

Click here or image to hear 911 call

 

Man and nephew get brutally attacked by a bobcat:

 

Click here or image to see Good Morning America on this brutal bobcat attack

Families in San Diego in fear over recent bobcat attacks:

Click here or image to see ABC’s News10 coverage of this recent bobcat attack