Scientific Classification of Wolves

Gray Wolves

Red Wolves

Ethiopian Wolves

Wolf Prey and Predation

Wolf Populations

Wolf Management and Conservation

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

Wolf Depredation

Updated August 2005

Depredation Depredation is when wolves or other predators kill or maim domestic animals. Complaints of depredation are handled somewhat differently in each state. In Minnesota, a state conservation officer or a county extension agent starts the documentation and claim process. Complaints are verified by the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Wildlife Services. The complainant provides an estimated value of the loss, but the final value is determined by a county extension agent. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture processes the actual payment.

In the western states, the USDA Wildlife Services and the US Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service cooperatively document and resolve complaints. The Defenders of Wildlife, a private environmental group, pays for verified complaints.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) does work to manage depredation, discover new management methods - including non-lethal wolf control, and prevent depredation through research and public relations.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Wildlife Research Center is the federal institution devoted to resolving problems caused by the interaction of wild animals and society. The Center applies scientific expertise to the development of practical methods to resolve these problems and to maintain the quality of the environments shared with wildlife.

Program Costs Costs depend on the geographic area, animal(s) depredated, and the agency or organization responsible for compensation. The money paid out to claims does not include salaries or other administrative costs of USDA Wildlife Services, the state of Minnesota Departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the County Extension Service.

Farms Affected by Depredation With wolf range expanding in various areas around the country, more farms are accessible. However, in Minnesota, indications are that depredation continues to occur on about 1-2% of the 8,500 farms and seems to be decreasing, regardless of population increases. This may be due to livestock producers practicing more predator-wise husbandry methods such as properly disposing of carcasses. Another factor may be the good fawn crops that have resulted from mild winters occurring over the past five years creating an overabundant deer population.

Annual Losses The number of domestic animals verified as being killed by wolves varies greatly each year. It also varies greatly by geographic location. For example, a 1000 acre farm in Wisconsin is considerably smaller than a ranch in Montana where cattle or sheep are grazing in a multi-square-mile tract of pasture. In many cases in the western U.S., animals become missing and are never recovered therefore a claim is never made.

To put depredation in perspective, in 1986 the wolf population was at about 1,300-1,400, there were an estimated 232,000 cattle and 16,000 sheep in Minnesota's wolf range. During that year 26 cattle, about 0.01% of the cattle available, and 13 sheep, around 0.08% of the sheep available, were verified as being killed by wolves. Similarly, in 1996 an estimated 68,000 households owned dogs in wolf range and only 10, approximately 0.00015% of the households, experienced wolf depredation. None-the-less, depredation can be an emotional and costly issue for some livestock and pet owners.

Value of Domestic Animals The market value of domestic animals varies greatly by breed, age, condition, region of the country and market fluctuations. The Minnesota Department of Agricultural Statistics and the University of Wisconsin, River Falls provide the following approximate values for livestock:

• $1,800 - $2,000 for a quality pure-bred cow
• $1,500 - $2,000 beef cow
• $1,260 per milk cow
• $400 - $500 per beef calf
• $150 per sheep
• $90 per lamb
• and $9 - $11 per turkey

In Minnesota, a county extension agent assesses the fair market value of each animal killed by wolves, the owner is paid that value per animal minus any insurance the owner may have collected.

Breeding Ecology Domestic stock are bred for weight gain, milk production, and other qualities related to handling and production. The docile nature of most domestic stock makes them easy prey to wolves.

USDA APHIS Wildlife Services

National Wildlife Research Center

Data on Minnesota depredation statistics are taken from:
Bill Paul, USDA
Wolf Depredation on Livestock in Minnesota
Annual Update of Statistics, 1999.

[See summary of data from 1979-2001 from the USDA Wildlife Services on wolf depredation in Minnesota.]

This information about wolf depredation on livestock and pets is also available through an email. Send a blank request to wolfinfo7@wolf.org.