Wildlife advocates earlier this month said they will seek a court order, halting a United States government program that allows the export of tens of thousands of pelts from bobcats and a small number of gray wolves. The exports are sold on the world market.
Representatives of WildEarth Guardians said the should not continue without a study of its effect on wildlife populations.
Government figures show more than 57,000 bobcat pelts and a handful of wolf pelts were exported from the U.S. in 2014. Exports over the past decade ranged from a low of 30,000 bobcat pelts in 2009 to almost 68,000 in 2013.
The export pelts are usually used to make fur garments and accessories. Russia, China, Canada and Greece are top export destinations, according to a trapping industry representative and government reports.