County Considers 100K+ Wildlife Management Pact with APHIS

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Lassen considers entering into an agreement with APHIS, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services—Wildlife Services sector, for wildlife damage management assistance.

If approved by the Supervisors today, the 103,000-dollar contract spanning July 1st through June 2025 would allow APHIS to create a work plan to reduce or manage damages caused by predatory animals, wild or feral, and other “nuisance” animals that damage property and affect people’s health.

The established program would give APHIS officials the authority to determine when direct management is needed to resolve problems caused by wildlife. Once a property owner’s own efforts to mitigate have failed, direct management activities can be defined as actions such as trapping or shooting the animal in question.

The APHIS Wildlife Services Cooperator would have to cooperate with CDFW, CalTrans, the state fire marshal, and all other local and federal laws.

This appears to arise in response to the numerous concerns voiced by supervisors regarding the surge in predatory animals in the county and across the state, not limited to bears and mountain lions but also wolves, the state’s newest predator, which, according to the supervisors have had a significant impact on livestock and ranchers’ livelihoods.

The supervisors meet at 9am in their chambers on Nevada Street in Susanville. Today’s agenda can be found on the county’s website.