Poll: Americans Strongly Oppose Trapping on National Wildlife Refuges

Animal Protection Institute
Tuesday, 12 October 1999

Results Released in Observance of National Wildlife Refuge Week October 10-16

SACRAMENTO - A national public opinion survey conducted by Decision Research for the Animal Protection Institute (API) reveals that Americans are strongly opposed to the trapping of wild animals on National Wildlife Refuges. The poll is being released in conjunction with the official observance of National Wildlife Refuge Week, October 10-16, which is sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The poll shows that:

- Nearly four of five (79%) Americans oppose allowing trapping on refuges. Fifty-five percent are strongly opposed to the practice.

- A large majority (78%) of Americans mistakenly believes that hunting and trapping are illegal on wildlife refuges. By sharp contrast, trapping of wildlife for various purposes occurs on 280 or 54% of refuge units, and hunting occurs on 296 or 56% of all refuges.

- When respondents were asked what should be the priority for National Wildlife Refuges, nearly nine out of every ten (88%) identified "Preserving the natural, undeveloped landscape and preserving the habitat and wildlife."

Recently the United States Senate voted to kill an amendment that would restrict trapping on wildlife refuges, despite overwhelming support by the House of Representatives for a ban on commercial trapping within the refuge system. The House/Senate Interior Appropriations Conference Committee is set to issue a final ruling on the matter in a few weeks. "Recreational and commercial fur trapping of animals on public lands conflicts with even the broadest definitions of the word 'refuge'," emphasized Alan Berger, Executive Director of the Animal Protection Institute. "It's time that the practice was stopped. Clearly, most people would like to see our wildlife refuges live up to the name."

The National Wildlife Refuge System comprises 519 units covering more than 93 million acres. Theodore Roosevelt established the refuge system in 1903 as a haven for a wide variety of plants and animals. API's survey demonstrates the public's ongoing commitment to that mission and its opposition to current refuge practices that kill animals for sport or profit.

Pollster Decision Research conducted the survey for API in April 1999. API is a 31-year-old national animal advocacy organization with more than 80,000 members nationwide.

For more information, or to contact Animal Protection Institute, see their website at: www.api4animals.org