Trump Order Directs Review of Gray Wolf Protections as Ranchers Report Livestock Losses

Part of the Supporting America’s Ranchers Executive Order, signed last week, focuses on giving ranchers a freer-hand to combat wolf attacks on their cattle herds. The order gives the Secretary of the Interior 90 days to determine if gray wolves can be downlisted or delisted from protection under the Endangered Species Act, or ESA.

Mathan Knapp, a partner with the Diamond M Ranch located in Northeastern Washington state, was in the Oval Office for the signing ceremony. Knapp claims hundreds of family ranches in the region have folded because of Canadian gray wolf attacks on their cattle herds. 

The eastern third of Washington State, where Knapp lives, is within the legal boundaries of an area where gray wolves have been removed from the ESA. 

Mathan Knapp, Partner, Diamond M Ranch: “In our region, we are federally delisted and the state of Washington has fought us tooth and nail and won’t allow your guys’ team to come in.” 

The current policy in Washington state is that a wolf can only be killed if you catch it in the act of attacking or chasing livestock, with a limit of one wolf per incident.

To help combat wolf attacks on Evergreen State cattle herds, ranchers can take advantage of the Range-Riding Grant Program. Funded by the Washington State Department of Agriculture, local non-profit agencies are paid to deploy nonlethal deterrents to discourage wolves and other predators from killing livestock. 

Scott Nielsen,President, Stevens County Cattlemen’s Association: “I think we do it well and effectively but, you know, the budgets, our budgets are getting cut.”

Ranchers allow Range-Riders onto their property to help monitor livestock, check game cameras, and remove dead animals to reduce the risk of attracting predators. Nielsen, a rancher and Ranger-Rider, says their presence is ineffective in areas where attacks are occurring without consequences for the problem wolves. 

Scott Nielsen, President, Stevens County Cattlemen’s Association: “I think that wolves should be managed different in areas like this. If they're not and they're just gonna be allowed to eat people's cows and you know, and and I don't see why they would move on. And you know, to me I think that's part of what's, what's happening. I think that, you know, wolves need to dispersed throughout the state. ” 

The debate between ranchers, wildlife advocates and the state has been heated and contentious. Officials with the nonprofit Washington Wildlife First do agree with ranchers on a few points including the state policy on targeting wolves that are "caught in the act.” However, they want ranchers to increase supervision of  their cattle grazing on public lands, particularly in places where wolf attacks are common. Washington Wildlife First officials would also like to see the state increase their response time to incidents and use more nonlethal deterrents to discourage those attacks.

Dr. Francisco Santiago-Avila, Director of Science & Advocacy, Washington Wildlife First: “We all know that ranching is difficult work, that individual losses can be upsetting. We also don't oppose ranchers receiving technical assistance, receiving compensation for their verified losses. The amount of scientific literature that this protocol is based on is thin at best.” 

For Market to Market, I’m Tammy Scardino.