WYOMING — On June 29, 76 wildlife conservation groups petitioned the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to ban the use of M-44s, also known as “cyanide bombs,” on lands administered by the BLM.
The letter was submitted by the Director and Senior Attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity and the Executive Director of Predator Defense on behalf of co-petitioners that included Executive Director of Wyoming Untrapped Jenny DeSarro, Chief Scientist for the Yellowstone Ecological Research Center Dr. Robert Crabtree and Executive Director of Wyoming Wildlife Advocates Kristin Combs.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers M-44s a tool to remove coyotes, foxes and feral dogs for the protection of agriculture. When an animal tugs on the baited capsule holder, it releases a plunger and ejects poisonous powder. According to the USDA, M-44 devices are accompanied by a posted warning sign and should be checked at least weekly.
However, the letter claims that the risk of injury and death to non-targeted wildlife, even potential endangered species, people and pets when using M-44s warrants a ban. Posted warning signs are not enough, the letter states, since pets, wildlife and young children don’t understand them. A cited incident in Oregon where a cyanide bomb caused a family dog to die shows that M-44s can cause an animal to suffer for up to eight hours.
In 2021, a bill was introduced into the U.S. Congress noting the same concerns.
According to the letter, alternative tools are available to protect livestock from predators including guard animals, range riders, sound and light-emitting frightening devices, fladry fences and different animal husbandry practices.
The letter points to the most recent data compiled by the USDA’s Wildlife Services that shows M-44s were used in 10 states in 2022 that include Wyoming. In total, Wildlife Services killed over 1.8 million animals in 2022 using multiple methods; M-44s were responsible for the deaths of 5,514 coyotes, four feral dogs, 364 gray foxes, and 48 red foxes.
Of the total animals killed, there were 2,631 animals killed unintentionally, and M-44s were responsible for 150 of them, mostly foxes.
M-44s are not used on DOI lands administered by the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the Bureau of Reclamation.
