US agency ends use of ‘cyanide bomb’ to kill coyotes and other predators, citing safety concerns

By SCOTT SONNER
Associated Press

RENO, Nev. (AP) — The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has halted the use of spring-loaded traps that disperse cyanide powder to kill coyotes and other livestock predators. It’s a practice wildlife advocates have tried to outlaw for decades due to safety concerns. The M-44 ejector devices that critics call “cyanide bombs” have unintentionally killed thousands of pets and non-predator wildlife, including endangered species. They have a scented bait and emit a poisonous cloud when triggered by a physical disturbance. The Bureau of Land Management quietly posted a notice on its website last week that it no longer will use the devices across the 390,625 square miles it manages nationally.