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The Trump Administration has u-turned on its decision to kill wild animals with ‘cyanide bombs’ after it recently approved their continued use.
Commonly referred to as M-44s, the sodium cyanide traps are placed on public land to kill animals such as coyotes, dogs, and foxes.
Back in 2017, the US government was sued for more than $150,00 after an M-44 injured a child and killed his dog in Idaho – with many states temporarily banning the use of the poison.
‘Further analysis’
The United States Environmental Protection Agency said in a statement: “I am announcing a withdrawal of EPA’s interim registration review decision on sodium cyanide, the compound used in M-44 devices to control wild predators.
“This issue warrants further analysis and additional discussions by EPA with the registrants of this predacide. USDA is the primary registrant, along with five other state departments of agriculture: Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming.
“I look forward to continuing this dialogue to ensure U.S. livestock remain well-protected from dangerous predators while simultaneously minimizing off-target impacts on both humans and non-predatory animals.”
‘Public outrage’
According to the Guardian, Brooks Fahy, Executive Director of Predator Defense, an organization opposing the M-44 traps, said: “Obviously somebody at EPA is paying attention to the public’s concerns about cyanide bombs.
“It would appear they’re responding to public outrage over the interim decision from last week. Our phone has been ringing off the hook from concerned citizens regarding their greenlight to continue using these horrific devices. We’ll have to see how this plays out.”
