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Show r1 Page A20 THE DAILY HERALD, Provo, Utahjhursday. Julv If. IW8 Biologists: Proposed ban a throat to research The Associated Press CHINO HILLS, Calif. While biologists and animal rights activists both claim to have animals' best interests in mind, the two sides don't agree d on whether traps are too dangerous for wildlife. The biologists, who are studying ways to preserve wildlife among urban sprawl, say their research is threatened by a California ballot initiative that would ban use of leg-hol- leg-hol- d Jersey knits in long sleeves with sleeve and chest stripes. Reg. $35 Sweater vests in navy, charcoal, green, olive and black. Reg. $28 t Sale $19.99 Cargo shorts in khaki, sand, olive and black; sizes 28-3Reg. $35 8. Sale $24.99 Mm m, m m r m a a i traps. Animal rights activists backing the November ballot measure contend the traps are dangerous, even fatal, and should be outlawed. Biologists are trying to learn how coyotes and bobcats weave among roads and houses to get from one natural area to another, and say the trap is the only humane way to restrain animals so tracking collars can be attached. The data they collect will be used to help design wilderness reserves in the growing urban centers of Southern California. leg-hol- Banning leg-hol- d d traps will likely end scientific research requiring capture of coyotes and other wary predators, biologists said. The $160,000 study is fundCalifornia the ed by Department of Transportation to compensate for environmental damage from construction of the 71 Expressway. Caltrans installed wildlife culverts under the roadway to connect Chino Hills State Park with other wilderness areas. The biologists are trying to learn if animals use them. The information would help determine whether culverts should be built in other places. But no matter how careful they are, the biologists said, they know people simply don't like the idea of animals caught in traps. Similar initiatives have passed in Colorado, Arizona and Massachusetts. "It's a device we don't think should be used," said Dena Jones, program director for the animal rights group in Sacramento. Lisa Dominguez, a graduate student at California State University, Polytechnic Pomona, and other biologists said the soft traps, spring-loade- d to avoid injuries, cause superficial cuts and bruises at worst. The traps Ms. Dominguez uses snap on an animal's paw, holding the animal in place until researchers arrive to fit it with a radio collar and let it go. Once all target animals are fitMs. with ted collars, Dominguez will walk the hills with a large antenna to learn their habits. On a recent day in the field, Ms. Dominguez and research partner Kim Kindt pulled up to a trapped coyote. It tried to leap away but its left front paw was held tightly in the trap. As Ms. Dominguez approached, she saw that its mouth was bloodied, probably from gnawing the metal parts of the trap in an effort to escape. Now it was a race against time to take measurements, fit the coyote with a radio collar and ear tags, and release it before the animal showed signs of stress from human contact. Total time: 18 minutes. As an alternative, Aaron Medlock, a campaign director in Los Angeles, suggested scientists use snare Retro knits with sleeve and chest stripes. Reg. $35 Sale $24.99 Cord shorts in sand, olive, navy and black. S f Reg. $35 -T (s rtl, I Sale $24.99 v ; 1 mh J I ) ""Ji y L IV Reg- . - :. - $45 Sa,e $33.75 . Pro-PA- I ' l I Y Cargo pants'in olive, khaki and sand. 1 I ': "1 J I nn ! t I Uj(J o " A q A I ! Pro-PA- traps. "They just haven't looked around," Medlock said. "They haven't looked at the alternatives." But Ms. Dominguez said snares often kill animals, typically by choking them. They also cannot be effectively installed in most of the vegeta- Stussy, Yaga and Quiksilver t:shirts in new screens. w1 t www.heraldextra.com Reg. $28 Sale $19.99 Sale $15.50 ZCM tion found in Southern California's chaparral and coastal sage scrub habitat. us online tXisit v - Camp shirts in assorted plaids; Z - Outlook QunP all , STORES MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY 10 A.M.-- 9 10 a'.M,7 P.M. AND ST. 6 elsewhere in Utah and in the U.S. Salt Lake, Visit us on theinternet at www.zcmi.com P.M. (EXCEPT SALT LAKE DOWNTOWN Order by phone: In AND ZCMI SATURDAY GEORGE DOWNTOWN! MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY 10 A.M. -- 6 P.M.) CLOSED SUNDAY. 579-666- Ipooe |