USDA’s Wildlife Services killed 4 million animals in 2013; seen as an overstep by some

For years, the massive toll of wild animals exterminated by the federal government as a service to everything from airports to ranches has bounced up and down like a yo-yo. Last year it was up again.

The more than 4 million animals shot, poisoned, snared or trapped by the Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services in fiscal year 2013 included 75,326 coyotes, 866 bobcats, 528 river otters, 3,700 foxes, 12,186 prairie dogs, 973 red-tailed hawks, 419 black bears and at least three eagles, golden and bald.

READ MORE: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/governments-kill-of-4-million-animals-seenas-an-overstep/2014/06/06/1de0c550-ecc4-11e3-b98c-72cef4a00499_story.html?hpid=z4