The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) recently announced a new “strike team” in partnership with federal and local agencies to combat livestock depredations by gray wolves in three of California’s northern counties: Siskiyou, Sierra and Plumas counties.
The statement went on to say the task force will be led by CDFW’s law enforcement and scientific staff and will increase CDFW presence in communities to effectively implement these measures. The program began June 9 and is anticipated to run through the summer. The program is working to create a county agricultural protection position that will support depredation investigations and capture and collar methods, as well as develop carcass removal programs to mitigate wolf attraction to ranch properties.
CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham said in the statement, “Today’s announcement showcases the power of collaboration in effectively and safely managing California’s growing gray wolf population … This strike force allows CDFW to work more closely with our key partners and impacted ranchers and provide new tools to protect cattle and other livestock from harm. Together, we are doing everything we can to keep both livestock and wolves safe. Thank you to our partners in this effort for making this strike team possible.”
The statement explains three areas the strike team aims to help. First, in-person, on-the-ground support from CDFW staff will be working 24/7. They plan to use radio communication and real-time sources to locate wolves. Second, the strike team aims to develop conflict risk management plans for participating ranchers. They claim they will help develop unique plans for individual ranches to help mitigate future conflict through nonlethal methods. And third, the strike team will plan outreach, education and training to educate producers with techniques and strategies that ranchers can take to reduce wolf-livestock conflicts.
In an article published by the Sacramento Bee, they claim there about 70 wolves in California in at least 10 packs who have killed dozens of calves and cattle.
Supporting the move is Senior Wolf Advocate for the Center of Biological Diversity Amaroq Weiss, who said to the Bee, “I think that it’s very smart … I hope that the ranchers in the area also do the right thing and accept this offer of assistance and participate in these opportunities.”
The Center for Biological Diversity is also the group who filed the 1990 lawsuit to reintroduce the Mexican gray wolf into the U.S. and, according to the group’s website, “… filed a long list of lawsuits to retain or regain wolf protections and won an agreement pushing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to develop a national gray wolf recovery plan.”
The group touts their Carnivore Conservation Program that is backed by a large staff. It would take hours to read through the bios of these highly educated, experienced, litigious and well-funded individuals.
Unfortunately, the need for livestock in today’s world does not meet their standards. While school educated, they don’t seem to realize the well-documented benefits from cattle production. They must not understand the list of byproducts produced from livestock, the direct protein source they provide and their ability to feed the world on fewer and fewer acres each year, or the positive environmental impacts livestock have across nearly every single ecosystem. Livestock have the ability to contribute to the betterment of nearly every person in this nation, but instead, groups like this are more concerned with knowing wolves are living in the wild and won’t stop until their agenda is complete. It’s the business side of conservation.
It’s laughable that some people out there think there are only 70 wolves in the state. Furthermore, it’s deplorable that CDFW authorities don’t always have the courage to recognize obvious wolf kills or adequately reimburse the subsequent losses. At what point does this nation realize that we aren’t working with supply and demand issues and that we are facing a crisis? If everything coming out of D.C. is touting the need for national food security, how is it that we aren’t recognizing the benefit livestock add to our nation?
I have not been able to find where the wolf provides a protein source for the general population. I have not been able to find where the wolf contributes to society through their byproducts. I have not been able to find where the wolf contributes to a healthier ecosystem when they kill for fun, have depleted deer and elk herds, and have been allowed to roam freely recognizing that humans do not pose a threat to them.
There is not much “diversity” when only certain species are protected and litigated for. Ranchers’ livelihoods are not being protected. Why is a wolf’s life more important than a cow’s? While this strike team is a nice gesture, it isn’t enough. Cattlemen should be able to defend their livelihoods, their livestock and their families. When both sides of the aisle recognize this, then we have made some progress. — LOGAN IPSEN
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