Soon, the ban on the use of M44 traps, better known as cyanide bombs, could be lifted in the United States, report American media.
Officially, the trap is designed to destroy wild animals: coyotes, wild foxes and stray dogs. When the mechanism is activated, it releases highly toxic sodium cyanide into the air.
Cyanide bombs are popular among farmers who advocate lifting restrictions on use. The problem is that not wild animals can become victims of an ambiguous trap. Actually, it was this fact that made it forbidden to use M44 traps. According to official figures, cyanide bombs killed more than 6.5 thousand animals in 2018. Among them were over two hundred “random victims,” including a bear.
However, according to the US Center for Biological Diversity, the data released by Washington is too understated. This is due to the fact that agencies involved in wildlife conservation are “notorious for poor-quality information collection”.
One of the most controversial M44 incidents occurred in 2017, when a detonating cyanide bomb injured a boy and killed his dog. The child’s family filed a lawsuit against the state, which led to the introduction of a ban on the M44.