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Beyond 2000:
Realities of Global Wolf Restoration
23-26 February 2000
Duluth, Minnesota USA
L. David Mech, U.S. Geological Survey, Biological
Resources Division, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, 8711
37th Street Southeast, Jamestown, ND 58401, USA; Elizabeth K.
Harper, Thomas J. Meier, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife,
University of Minnesota, 1980 Folwell Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108,
USA; William J. Paul, USDA/APHIS, Wildlife Services, 34912 U.S.
Highway 2, Grand Rapids, MN 55744, USA
The objective of this study was to recommend practices to minimize
wolf (Canis lupus) depredations on livestock in Minnesota.
Our approach was to try to detect factors that predispose farms
to wolf depredations and suggest how to overcome them. Thus we compared
results of interviews with 41 of 43 cattle farmers experiencing
chronic cattle losses to wolves with those of 41 at nearby "matched"
farms with no wolf losses, in order to determine any farm characteristic
or husbandry practice that differed between the two. We also used
a Geographic Information System (GIS) to detect any habitat differences
between the two types of farms.
We found no differences between the chronic and matched farms
in the 11 farm characteristics and management practices for which
we surveyed, except that chronic farms were larger, had more cattle,
and had herds farther from the house. Habitat types were the same
around farms with and without losses. The role of proper carcass
disposal remains unclear as a possible factor predisposing farms
to wolf depredations.
The only husbandry improvement this study lends any support to
is that farmers with 240 acres or more or those raising at least
35 head of cattle should pay special attention to proper disposal
of carcasses; however, the evidence for this recommendation remains
questionable.
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