New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
Media contact: Rachel Shockley, (505) 476-8071; cell: (505) 470-6832
Public contact: (888) 248-6866
rachel.shockley@state.nm.us
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, APRIL 30, 2014:
MAY 1 IS ‘STOP POACHING DAY’
SANTA FE – May 1 is “Stop Trophy Poaching Day,” in New Mexico, emphasizing the serious threat the illegal activity poses to the state’s long tradition of hunting, and highlighting the contribution of hunting to New Mexico’s heritage and economy.
Trophy poaching occurs when illegal hunters kill large wild game and take only the heads, antlers and horns, which can fetch large amounts of money on the black market. The meat and hide on the poached animals usually are left to rot. The offense is a misdemeanor in New Mexico and convictions often result in light penalties. The Department supported bills for stiffer penalties in the last two legislative sessions, but neither passed.
The Wild Friends Program at the University of New Mexico School of Law is a network of students, teachers and mentors who support wildlife and seek common-ground solutions to wildlife issues.
“The Wild Friends students across New Mexico worked hard to make this day happen, and feel strongly about the need to stop trophy poaching,” said Susan George, director of the Wild Friends Program.
“We want those big beautiful animals to be around forever,” said Matthew Farnsworth, a 5th-grade student from Ladera Elementary in Farmington.
Governor Susana Martinez has proclaimed May 1 as “Stop Trophy Poaching Day”; click here to read the Governor’s proclamation. To learn more about how you can help stop poaching, please visit the Department of Game and Fish website, www.wildlife.state.nm.us and click on the “enforcement” tab. To learn more about the Wild Friends Program, please visit http://wildfriends.unm.edu/.
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