Coyote Poison: To Have or Have Not

EPA is now deciding whether to repeal its ban on the use of the poison compound 1080 against coyotes. The 1080 proponents charge that the ban has had a severe economic impact on the lamb and woolgrowing industries, and that livestock losses to growing coyote populations are mounting. But 1080 opponents maintain there is really no clear evidence that predation has in fact increased since the ban. Use of the chemical is also extremely hazardous to nontarget organisms, and should remain banned.