During the week of Thanksgiving, a conservation officer of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), shot and killed a 100-lb cougar on a farm near Morrison (Whiteside County), about 15 miles from the Mississippi River. The cougar had not killed any farm animals and had not threatened any humans. From the Chicago Tribune News, "According to Chris McCloud [the Communication Director of the IDNR], conservation officers do not carry tranquilizers because they are not trained to handle the chemical and assess the proper dosage so that they don't inadvertently harm or kill the animal." This was the first sighting of a cougar since 2008. Cougars used to be common in Illinois but were driven out by 1870. They are not protected by state conservation law, and they are not included as a species in the Wildlife Code. Sadly, there is a big cat sanctuary only 150 miles away in Rock Springs, WI (Wisconsin Big Cat Rescue.)
Tell Governor Quinn and Marc Miller that our species should learn to live with other predators in the state. If we keep eliminating animals that pose a threat to us, some day we will be very alone on this planet.
Please ask Governor Quinn and Marc Miller to sponsor legislation to add cougars to the Illinois Wildlife Code and then establish a policy to tranquilize cougars found on private property followed by relocation to a wild area or a sanctuary.
Take action today and tell Governor Quinn and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to provide protection to cougars wandering into Illinois
To Governor Quinn and IDNR Director Marc Miller,
We were alarmed to hear that a cougar was killed by a IDNR conservation officer in Morrison during the week of Thanksgiving. That was a terrible example of conservation. The cougar had not killed any livestock or threatened any human. The cougar could have been tranquilized if conservation officers had the training and equipment for that purpose. Sadly, there is a wildcat sanctuary (Wisconsin Big Cat Rescue) just 150 miles away in Rock Springs, WI.
So that this tragedy does not happen again, we urge you to do the following: (1) Take action to add cougars to the Illinois Wildlife Code, (2) train conservation officers to tranquilize cougars if the animals do not pose a threat of personal injury, and (3) if cougars are not allowed to exist in Illinois, then transport them to a state which will accept them or to a wildlife sanctuary.
Thank you for your attention to this issue.
Sincerely,
