New California wolf packs: How to balance wildlife conservation with ranching | Opinion
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife recently announced the presence of three new wolf packs in the state, bringing California’s total number of packs up to 10. Department biologists believe there are between 50 and 70 gray wolves in the state of California.
It’s an incredible comeback for a species intentionally killed from the landscape 100 years ago. And yet, this recovery has caused challenges and genuine concern for California’s rural communities, particularly those who are professional ranchers, as thoughtfully pointed out by Modoc County Supervisor Geri Byrne and Sierra County Supervisor Lee Adams in a recent Sacramento Bee op-ed.
I hear their concerns, and I firmly believe that collaboration and coexistence is the best path forward. Wolf management in California needs a portfolio approach where different tools are available. That’s why, in April, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced plans to strengthen wolf management efforts as the state moved into the next phase of its strategy.
In the last 60 days, we’ve delivered on much of what we’ve promised: We’ve released an online tool to provide GPS-collared wolf information to ranchers; increased engagement with county sheriffs and supervisors; redirected staff to work 24-hour shifts with ranches in Sierra Valley particularly hard-hit by wolves eating cattle; and rallied other state and federal agencies for funding support.
We have also evaluated legal pathways to potentially issue approvals for more aggressive tools, like firing rubber bullets or using motorized equipment to deter wolves. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife can help find funds and technical support through partners like the Natural Resources Conservation Service for ranchers, who want to invest in non-lethal deterrents like fencing and range riders. We are in support of third-party ranch experts offering education and training for safe co-existence. And partners like UC Berkeley are doing on-the-ground science and monitoring.
Other Western states that have experienced the challenges of wolves help us learn options that may work for California. For example, every state with wolves either supports or manages a carcass removal program. The presence of a single carcass can attract wolves to livestock. Montana is home to the Blackfoot Challenge, which may be the most grassroots animal carcass program in the West.
Oregon recently dealt with repeated cattle killings by a wolf by securing permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to lethally remove the animal — but only after significant collaboration with ranchers, thorough documentation of the losses, extensive failed use of non-lethal deterrents and evidence of a demonstrable (though not immediate) threat to human safety. A similar situation may arrive faster in California than anyone contemplated when wolves first returned a decade ago.
Public safety must be our most important goal. As wolves show up in places from which they’ve been absent for 100 years, it is understandable that people are worried. Fortunately, wolf attacks are exceedingly rare in North America, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be vigilant.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife knows regular communication with rural sheriffs is key.
I want to be clear: If wolves pose a genuine public safety threat, sheriffs already have the legal authority to act. We’ve emphasized this in direct conversations with county sheriffs and local officials, and California law permits immediate response to any legitimate danger. But, additionally, individuals facing an imminent threat from wolves have the right to protect themselves.
I know this is difficult. California Department of Fish and Wildlife staff live and work in rural counties, too. We understand that many hardworking individuals who run cattle haven’t had to think about wolves in their lifetimes until now. We recognize this is a tough adjustment for those who now share their land with wolves, and we are committed to helping them navigate this new normal.