Black vulture depredation permits now available in Illinois to mitigate livestock losses

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Black vulture depredation permits now available in Illinois to mitigate livestock losses

Photo Credit: Martin Lowney, USDA-APHIS-WS

Illinois farmers experiencing threats to livestock by black vulture populations can now quickly access a depredation permit.

Illinois Farm Bureau’s Associate Director of Commodity and Livestock Programs Tasha Bunting tells Brownfield IFB is working with the USDA Wildlife Service and Illinois Department of Natural Resources to issue federal sub-permits to livestock producers.

“Black vultures on preying on specifically beef cattle and sheep during late winter and spring calving and lambing seasons. These black vultures are a bird that attacks those young animals in a pretty gruesome way.”

As migratory birds, black vultures are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, state laws and regulations, therefore, they can’t be killed or destroyed without a migratory bird depredation permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and a class B nuisance wildlife control permit from IDNR.

Bunting says this has been an escalating issue, especially in the southern part of the state, for several years and this partnership eliminates application costs for producers while streamlining the permit process.

“There is still some consultation that has to take place with a USDA Wildlife Services expert to make sure producers know how to conduct appropriate mitigation efforts, but we are really hopeful this is something that livestock producers in the state of Illinois will be able to utilize.”

To request a permit contact Tasha Bunting at tbunting@ilfb.org

Interview with Tasha Bunting

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