Killing of calf highlights tension with wolves in Calif.
By John King, San Francisco Chronicle
A calf was likely killed and eaten by wolves in Siskiyou County last month, state wildlife officials said — the first reported case of the endangered predators dining on ranchers’ livestock and an incident that may raise tensions over wolves’ reappearance in California.
The killing of the calf prompted the first “livestock depredation investigation” since a wolf crossed into California from Oregon in 2011, marking the first evidence of a wild wolf in the state since 1924. The apparent attack involved the “Shasta pack,” which consists of two adult wolves and five pups.
The 48-page investigation report — which includes color photos of the two rear legs that were all that remained of the carcass — was released Friday. It comes as the state takes public comments on a comprehensive draft plan for how wolves, which were classified as endangered in California in 2014, might be managed as they multiply.
They are just doing what Wolves do. They have to eat and survive.
I suppose the state should just reimburse any rancher who loses any cattle is the easiest solution.
Cattle are a much easier target then say a deer.
Kit those ranchers have to make a living just like you do. Dan has a reasonable solution, but in the past it has been difficult to make a claim.
The wolves were seen eating a dead calf. It could have been killed by a mountain lion or even coyotes. Wolves are scavengers as well as hunters and that’s different that killing.
Dan has a reasonable solution, I’m OK with tax $ going towards this cause, if it continues with out compenstation we will be reading about wolf poisonings, the wolves need a fighting chance. I’m wiling to bet that these ranchers are going to be crying wolf every time a cow, etc. goes down. Let’s see how this plays out.
I don’t know about the ranchers involved in this but many cattle operations are on public land. There is an attitude among many of these public lands ranchers that they have a right to kill anything and everything that interferes with raising cattle. The fees for ranching on public lands are very low. When there is a “problem” animal (coyotes, wolves, mountain lions, etc) the taxpayers again foot the bill by paying for extermination services. Ranchers can obtain trained dogs that protect herds from predators. Is it too much to ask of them so that the top predator can return to their natural and historic habitat?
so very pleased to see the comments mostly in favor of the wolves. They definitely deserve a fighting chance! Way to go everyone!!