Originally, HB469 had nothing to do with mountain lions, aka cougars. But Senator Scott Sandall, R-Tremonton, added a line about hunting them, saying “We see that we’re getting an increase in our cougar numbers across the state.” Experts, however, dispute his claim. Others warn that hunting more mountain lions will damage predator-prey balance, and Gov. Spencer Cox has yet to sign HB469. This Friday at 11:00, we’re talking about the potential impact of the bill and our relationship with mountain lions.
On Friday evening, March 17, 2023, Governor Cox signed HB469.
GUESTS:
- Brian Maffly, public lands and environment reporter for The Salt Lake Tribune.
- Mark Elbroch, Puma Program Director for Panthera, a wild cat conservation non-profit; author of “The Cougar Conundrum: Sharing the World with a Successful Predator” [Amazon|Bookshop]
Airdate: Friday, Mar. 17, 2023 at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.