The toll taken by Wildlife Services (USDA)
By Patterson Clark, Published: June 6, 2014
In 2013, more than four million animals were killed by a service of the Department of Agriculture that resolves wildlife conflicts. Almost half of the animals killed were native to the United States. The killings were in response to a variety of complaints. Read related article.
5
4
3
2
1
’96
’98
’00
’02
’04
’06
’08
’10
’12
’13
Wildlife killed 1996-2013 in millions Invasive species
Native species
Property
Agriculture
Health and safety Natural resources
Complaints of damage or threat, 2013
56,784
47,804
35,611
3,875
Invasive species: 2,336,840
Native species: 2,041,615 Native species: 2,041,615
Wildlife killed in 2013
2,058,148 European starlings: feedlot pests, vectors of disease
278,692 others, from more than 80 species
1,102,097 brown- headed cowbirds: feedlot pests, parasites of other birds’ nests
365,128 red- winged blackbirds: pests of sunflower producers
973 red-tailed hawks 345 mountain lions States where the five species pictured below were killed
574,390 others, from more than 600 native species, including:
321 gray wolves 123 northern mockingbirds 12,186 black-tailed prairie dogs
Coyotes 75,326 Beavers 24,390 Canada geese 23,153 Cormorants 18,656 Common ravens 9,121 Vultures 6,498
Herring gulls 5,528 White-tailed deer 4,810 Cliff swallows 2 ,378 Killdeers 2,122 Bobcats 866 Great blue herons 631
Black bears 419 Barn owls 194 Ospreys 57 Eastern bluebirds 21 Snowy owls 5 Flying squirrel 1
SOURCE: USDA, Center for Biodiversity.
