Out of all the problems that ranchers face on a daily basis, wolves receive the most attention. Why?
How much livestock do wolves actually take and what are the larger threats to the industry?
According to a 2014 study on livestock deaths, of the 112,233,000 cattle inventoried in the United States that year, there were 3,599,430 unwanted deaths.
Of those deaths, only 280,570 were due to natural predators, only 10,165 of which were attributed to wolves.
Here’s a graph to put those numbers into perspective.
Even among the natural predators, wolves were not at the top with coyotes, predatory birds, domestic dogs, and mountain lions all shown to be higher sources of cattle mortality.
Coyotes especially are one of the larger sources of livestock losses
Another common argument is that direct predation is not the biggest issue caused by wolves.
Just having wolves in the area have a negative effect on the herds, causing stress and leading to decreased weight and birth rates.
The negative effect of wolves on some ranching operations cannot be minimized. They can cause significant damage and hurt their business.
But taking everything into consideration, wolves are still a minor statistic compared to the other problems that ranchers are facing.
So, why do wolves receive so much more attention and hatred compared to the other more significant causes of livestock deaths?
The real reason takes us back the Yellowstone Wolf Reintroduction Project and the unresolved conflicts that continue to influence public perception of wolves today.
Wolves were completely eradicated from the United States until they were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park in 1995.
The wolves were gone, and then the government brought them back.
Because of this, people are much less tolerant of wolves than they are of other natural predator.
A depredation from a coyote is a part of life, something to be expected. A depredation from a wolf is the federal government interfering to make their lives harder.
Livestock losses are an unfortunate reality of ranching, but the narrative around wolves often exaggerates their role.
By looking at the facts and statistics, we can shift the focus toward coexistence strategies that address all of the challenges ranchers face.
Recognizing wolves’ relatively small impact allows for more informed and balanced discussions on how to live alongside these apex predators, rather than arguments based on emotion and perceived wrongs from the past.