Hollister
– The San Benito County Board of Supervisors unanimously
approved the reinstatement of a Wildlife Services program to handle
what some say are out-of-control feral pig and coyote populations
on Tuesday.
Hollister – The San Benito County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the reinstatement of a Wildlife Services program to handle what some say are out-of-control feral pig and coyote populations on Tuesday.
The county will pay for a wildlife specialist to trap feral pigs, mountain lions and coyotes that encroach on urban lands and pose a threat to local farms and ranches, San Benito County Agricultural Commissioner Paul Matulich said. The specialist will also respond to calls for wild animals, such as skunks, that make their way under homes and onto residential properties.
Chairman Don Marcus said he wants the program to be managed properly.
“What I won’t support in the future is if this program gets one-sided,” he said.
Marcus requested that the board receive an annual report on what animals are being trapped. The chairman said it would not be fair to the public if only coyotes were being trapped.
Opponents have argued that the program was only targeting coyotes before the board voted to cut the program.
Tracie Cone, an outspoken critic of the program, said the county was killing up to 2,200 coyotes a year.
“There will be a lot of people watching that this will be used in a limited way and doesn’t turn into the wholesale slaughter of a species,” Cone said.
Supervisor Anthony Botelho said the program could be a benefit to both rural and urban county residents.
“I think it was a mistake discontinuing this program to begin with,” Botelho said.
Tom Manning, a member of the San Benito County Cattlemen’s Association and a farm bureau director, told the board Tuesday that the service would help protect local agricultural products.
Manning said that coyotes are responsible for the killing of local calves.
“Most farmers, including us ranchers, are not equipped and do not have the expertise to deal with (wild animals),” Manning said.
Local row crop growers are also concerned that feral pigs could spread E. coli, Manning said.
An investigation into the September 2006 E. coli outbreak traced to spinach grown in the county found the responsible bacteria in pig and cow feces on a ranch near Paicines.
But row crop growers and ranchers aren’t the only land users in favor of the program.
Scott Fuller, manager of the San Juan Oaks Golf Club, said feral pigs have hurt the course.
“Pigs dig up our fairways and have caused significant damage the last couple of years,” Fuller said.
Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller, whose department runs the city’s animal control, said there have been calls about wildlife on residential properties. However, animal control only handles domestic animals, the chief said.
“This fills a gap in services,” Miller said.
The program would be funded through the county’s general fund. If the county uses funds made available from the fish and game commission, the program could cost about $66,000 in its first year, Matulich said.
After two years, county officials hope a federal gas tax refund made available through the agricultural commissioner’s office would cover 40 percent of the program’s cost.
