Trump’s BLM Just Quietly Reversed Cyanide Bomb Ban

The Trump administration just reversed a federal ban on deadly cyanide “bombs,” reopening the door to one of the cruelest and most dangerous wildlife-killing practices ever used on America’s public lands.

For decades, the Bureau of Land Management used so-called cyanide bombs to kill predators on public lands — despite years of outrage over the horrific danger these poison devices pose to wildlife, pets, and even people. The controversial practice was banned in 2023 after mounting public pressure, but now the Trump administration has approved the return of these deadly traps.

Under a newly signed agreement between the Bureau of Land Management and the Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services program, the federal government has effectively reversed the ban on M-44s — spring-loaded devices that blast sodium cyanide powder into the faces of animals unlucky enough to trigger them. These poison traps are intended to kill coyotes, but they are notoriously indiscriminate. Foxes, wolves, bears, birds, endangered species, and beloved family dogs have all been killed by M-44s.

And the danger doesn’t stop with animals.

In one of the most infamous incidents, a 14-year-old boy in Idaho accidentally triggered an M-44 near his home while walking with his dog. The boy survived, but his dog died in agony beside him. The horrifying incident sparked national outrage and helped lead to restrictions and bans on the use of cyanide bombs in several states.

Animal welfare advocates and conservationists have warned for years that these devices cannot be used safely. Hidden across public lands, they pose a serious threat to hikers, children, pets, and wildlife alike.

This is cruel, reckless, and unacceptable.

Our public lands should never be littered with hidden poison traps designed to inflict agonizing deaths on animals while putting families and communities at risk. Congress must act immediately to permanently ban M-44 cyanide bombs on all federal lands before more animals are tortured and more lives are endangered.

Add your name now to demand Congress stop the return of cyanide bombs and permanently ban these horrific poison devices once and for all.
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Source:

The New York Times | Trump Administration Lifts Ban on Cyanide Bombs on Public Lands | https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/07/climate/cyanide-bombs-public-lands.html