SCIENTIFIC CREDIBILITY MATTERS

SCIENTIFIC CREDIBILITY MATTERS

The Scientific method:  a method of research in which a problem is identified, relevant data are gathered, a hypothesis is formulated from these data, and the hypothesis is empirically tested.


Ms. Fox may have learned her extreme views on animal activism from her father but more importantly, Fox does NOT have a background in science. Fox graduated Magna Cum Laude from Boston University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in English with a minor in Women's Studies 


Fox's Masters degree in Environmental Studies and Sustainability from Prescott College in Arizona has little to do with the traditional courses of study required to earn a science based degree but more to do with learning to start a non profit activist group. Just as interesting, Fox's Masters degree is a 36 unit online degree. SOURCE 


This might explain why Project Coyotes theories on coexistence, the effectiveness of hazing and the role of hunting in wildlife management are inconsistent with the preponderance of studies and scientific data presented by biologists throughout the U.S.


CAMILLA FOX THESIS ON THE MARIN COUNTY LIVESTOCK PROTECTION PLAN

​​In her thesis, "Analysys of the Marin County Strategic Plan For Protection of Wildlife and Livestock: An Alternative to Traditional Predator Control" Fox claims the Marin County Board of Supervisors approved a non-lethal  county-administered program that was “initially put forth by the Marin Coalition for California Wildlife."   


As mentioned before, this is not true. 


The non-lethal county-administered program was actually introduced by Mary Paglieri of the Little Blue Society. This can be found by reviewing Marin County minutes from October 31, 2000  SOURCE

he Marin Coalition for California Wildlife founded by Fox takes credit for non lethal plan while initially advocating a lethal plan. Fox takes credit for a non lethal plan created by someone else when she originally advocated for lethal control. This is another clear example of the dishonesty and manipulation perpetuated by animal rights groups like Project Coyote to get what they want by any means necessary. 


Believe it or not, the hypocrisy doesn't stop there!     


​​Two years before her thesis was completed, Fox was awarded the Christine Stevens Wildlife Award by the Animal Welfare Institute to support her work on her Masters Thesis. 


After taking thousands of dollars from a group who campaigns to "protect all wildlife", how can you expect her thesis to reflect anything other than the views of the animal rights group she was beholden to? 


Dr. Stephanie Larson, Director of UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE)  Sonoma County, has examined the Marin County Livestock and Protection Plan and has found multiple issues. 

  • By removing USDA Wildlife Services, records are no longer kept documenting loss of sheep or coyotes
  • Through direct interviews with ranchers, it was determined more coyotes are being killed as a result of removing USDA Wildlife Services trapping service.  


Another example of one of Camilla Fox's "science based" misrepresentations came from a Public Records Request Act submitted to The Marin County Agricultural Commission.  This is an email exchange between Agricultural Commissioner Stacy Carlsen and Camilla Fox of Project Coyote. The distortion of facts can be found below.


-----Original Message-----

From: Carlsen, Stacy

Sent: Friday, May 10, 2013 10:21 AM

To: 'Camilla Fox'

Subject: RE: Panel discussion re: Marin Livestock & Wildlife Protection Program & your feedback & quote for article


Camilla, I filled in the blanks- sorry I have been in Visalia at ag. meetings. Commercial sheep ranchers is better than all commercial ranches. I will make dates work for your events.

Stacy


-----Original Message-----

From: Camilla Fox [cfox@projectcoyote.org]

Sent: Monday, May 06, 2013 5:04 PM

To: Carlsen, Stacy

Subject: Re: Panel discussion re: Marin Livestock & Wildlife Protection Program & your feedback & quote for article


Hi Stacy - thanks for the quick reply and for checking on these dates (if you can get back to me about these dates as soon as you're able that would be helpful as we have wiggle room on the Sept. date w/ the Lark theater and would really like for you to be there- as well as the DBC event on June 27th).


Regarding the quote- yes glowing would be nice :) - but I also want to make sure we have accurate stats. Here. Can you fill in here where the Xs are--  and amend the quote if you're not comfortable with it as is:


According to Marin Agricultural Commissioner, Stacy Carlsen, who oversees implementation of the non-lethal cost-share program, ³losses have fallen to 2.2 percent (from 5 percent in 2002)‹and the program costs over $50,000 a year less than the old one. For the first couple of years we couldn¹t tell if the loss reductions were a trend or a blip. Now, we can say there¹s a definite pattern and livestock losses have decreased significantly.² Carlsen also noted that ³This innovative model sets a precedent for meeting a wider compass of community needs and values where both agriculture and protection of wildlife are deemed important by the community. The success of our county model has set the trend for the rest of the nation.²


And is this foot note correct:


[1] According to Marin County Agricultural Commissioner Stacy Carlsen, almost all commercial sheep ranchers were participating in the MCLWPP as of May 2013.


Can we say "all all commercial sheep ranchers were participating in the MCLWPP as of May 2013" instead of "almost all"? yes, because there is no other program for them to participate in. Should say sheep ranches to be clear.


Thank you!


Camilla

____________________

Camilla H. Fox, Executive Director

Project Coyote

P.O. Box 5007

Larkspur, CA 94977

ph: 415.945.3232

www.ProjectCoyote.org http://www.ProjectCoyote.org


Another example of how Project Coyote bends the truth then represents the information as scientific fact! 


A copy of the document using the misrepresented data can be found HERE SOURCE


Camilla Fox twists and manipulates data then represents it as fact while accusing persons whom they do not agree with as being immoral? 

ADVOCATE DOES NOT MEAN EXPERT

 

Camilla Fox has claimed to be an expert on a multitude of wildlife issues. In 2009, Camilla Fox represented the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) as an expert witness challenging the incidental take of Canadian Linx by Maine trappers. Chief Judge John Woodcock Jr. stated "AWI's case consisted of numerous similar studies that have an attenuated (thin) relationship to the lynx in the state of Maine." "AWI's case contained a notable absence of Maine-generated, lynx-specific studies. It relied instead on extrapolations from studies about other animals in different regions to prove contentions about the lynx in Maine." "The Court has a sense of disquiet (feeling of anxiety or worry) about the extent to which Ms. Fox was testifying as an objective expert as opposed to an educated advocate." “The Court respects Ms. Fox’s intelligence and commitment, but is concerned that her opinions as an expert were colored by her strongly held personal views. Ms. Fox was involved in the decision to initiate Animal Protection Institute's 2006 litigation. When she testified in this case, the Court was forced to repeatedly admonish Ms. Fox to answer the questions asked, not to advocate."


ANIMAL WELFARE INSTITUTE, et al., Plaintiffs, v. Roland D. MARTIN, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Defendant. No. CV-08-267-B-W. United States District Court, D. Maine. November 10, 2009. LINK  


Advocacy groups learned a long time ago they could bypass state wildlife agencies and expert biologists employed by state agencies by taking issues to the ballot box. In 1990, former HSUS President Wayne Pacelle (ousted for sexual harassment) told supporters in Full Cry magazine, “We are going to use the ballot box and the democratic process to stop all hunting in the United States… We will take it species by species until all hunting is stopped in California. Then we will take it state by state.” 


Bypassing wildlife professionals at the ballot box is a successful tactic that continues to this day. Find a willing legislator, supply the public with their version of the facts, rinse and repeat.  HSUS   


A recent example of manipulation of facts is included in a toolkit released by HSUS and Project Coyote in 2017.  This toolkit is full of misleading and incomplete information demonstrates another effective tool: using hunters and hunting groups to imply support for their policies. TOOLKIT 


In this toolkit, these groups claimed "Wildlife killing contests, which target coyotes, foxes, bobcats, or even prairie dogs and pigeons, are grisly spectacles that are about as far as one can get from ethical, fair-chase hunting." implying the Boone & Crockett club share the same position on fair chase and predator hunting. 


On October 24, 2017 The Boone & Crockett club made their position clear by posting a response on the front page of their website stating: 


"We don't know if HSUS is uninformed or merely attempting to blur the lines to sway public opinion," "But trying to make it sound like the Club and sportsmen are against such contests because the methods used aren't considered fair chase shows a misunderstanding of the principles of fair chase, which were initiated more than 130 years ago by the Club's founder, Theodore Roosevelt. LINK  


The negative unintended consequences of these groups are well documented. The Marin Nonlethal Livestock Protection Plan which Project Coyote claims to be a model for human coyote coexistence has led to reduced numbers sheep producers in Marin County  and more coyotes killed by ranchers as a direct result of taking away USDA trappers who focused their efforts on removing coyotes causing damage. Not less as claimed by Camilla Fox. This was documented by Dr. Stephanie Larson, UC Cooperative Extension, Livestock & Range Management Adviser to Sonoma & Marin Counties. The Marin County Predator Management Program: will it save the sheep industry?  LINK  


These groups use misinformation as a weapon knowing they make up a vocal minority. These groups desperately need the public's support to fund their lobbying efforts and to push their misguided views on wildlife management.  Most of their time is spent fundraising, little to nothing is spent by Project Coyote or HSUS directly to improve the lives of animals.  ​