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Scientific
Classification of Wolves
Gray Wolves
Red Wolves
Ethiopian
Wolves
Wolf Prey and
Predation
 Yellowstone After Wolves
Depredation
Wolf
Depredation
Depredation
on Livestock and Pets
USDA
Wildlife Services 2002 Report
USDA
Wildlife Services 2001 Report
USDA
Wildlife Services Summary
Defenders
of Wildlife Compensation Trust
Wolf
Depredation Control in Minnesota
Non-Lethal
Depredation Control-Does it Work
Are
Wolves Endangered
IUCN
Manifesto on Wolf Conservation
Federal
Process of Reclassification and the Endangered Species Act
(4 items)
Frequently
Asked Questions About Wolf Management
Methods
Used for Estimating Wolf Abundance
Human Perspectives
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by Bill Paul
Minnesota's wolves are currently listed by the federal government
as threatened, which allows authorized federal personnel to kill
wolves that have killed domestic animals. Since 1986, the U.S. Department
of Agriculture's Wildlife Services (USDA-WS) program has been the
federal agency responsible for managing wolf-livestock conflicts
in Minnesota.
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Bill Paul investigating a possible wolf depredation.
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Livestock producers or pet owners who suspect that wolves have killed
or injured their animals contact their local Minnesota Department
of Natural Resources (MDNR) conservation officer or USDA-WS for
assistance. MDNR or USDA-WS personnel try to investigate wolf depredation
complaints within 24-48 hours to minimize loss of evidence needed
for verification of wolf damage. Carcasses can deteriorate rapidly
during the summer or be consumed quickly by wolves.
USDA-WS personnel differentiate wolf depredation from depredation
by other predators or natural mortality and scavenging, by using
the following criteria:
- Wolf tracks at kill sites are easily distinguishable
from those of most other predators, except large dogs.
- Wolf attacks on large livestock are characterized
by bites and large, ragged wounds on the hindquarters, flanks,
and sometimes the upper shoulders. Attacks on young calves or
sheep are characterized by bites on the throat, head, neck, back,
or hind legs.
- Wolves usually begin feeding on the viscera and
hindquarters. Much of the carcass may be eaten, and large bones
chewed and broken. The carcass is usually torn apart and scattered
with subsequent feedings.
- Wolves and coyotes may show similar killing and
feeding patterns on small livestock. Where wounds are present,
the area is skinned so that the size and spacing of the tooth
holes can be examined. Wolf canine tooth holes are about a quarter
of an inch in diameter, while those of a coyote are about an eighth
of an inch.
- Wolves will scavenge carcasses of livestock that
have died of natural causes. It is important to distinguish between
predation and scavenging. Evidence of predation includes signs
of a struggle, and hemorrhaging beneath the livestock's skin in
the throat, neck, back, or hindquarter area.
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A trap set in the ground to catch depredating
wolves.
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Once personnel verify that wolves have killed livestock, control
measures can be initiated. The livestock producer is also then eligible
for compensation of up to $750 per animal killed, administered by
the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
USDA-WS uses both non-lethal and lethal methods to resolve wolf-livestock
conflicts. Non-lethal methods include anti-predator fencing, strobe
light and siren devices, livestock guarding animals (guard dogs,
llamas, and donkeys), and improvements in animal husbandry practices,
such as proper disposal of dead livestock carcasses. Lethal control
measures include foothold traps, neck snares and shooting.
Trapping is usually conducted for 10-15 days and is restricted
to within a half mile of the farm's boundaries. Control devices
are checked daily, and captured wolves are shot. Selective removal
of livestock-depredating wolves in Minnesota has helped resolve
wolf-livestock conflicts while facilitating wolf recovery.
Bill Paul is the Assistant State
Director for the USDA Wildlife Services program in Minnesota, U.S.A.,
where he coordinates federal wolf depredation control activities.
He has been involved with wolf research and control programs in
Minnesota for 25 years under both the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
and USDA and has helped train American and foreign wolf researchers
and control personnel in wolf capture techniques and management
of wolf-livestock conflicts.
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