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Wolves of the World

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Depredation
When wolves or other predators kill or maim domestic animals we call this "depredation." 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 U.S. 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 or other appointed agent. In Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture processes the payment.

In the western states, the USDA Wildlife Services and the U.S. 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) works 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.

In North Carolina, red wolves cause minimal depredation issues.

Visit the USDA APHIS Wildlife Services site for information on how the federal government manages depredating wildlife, resolves conflict between wildlife and humans and for contact information by state.