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Trends and Management of Wolf-Livestock Conflicts in Minnesota

by

Steven H. Fritts¹ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Laurel, Maryland 20708

William J. Paul U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Animal Damage Control 717 N.E. Fourth Street Grand Rapids, Minnesota 55744

L. David Mech² and David P. Scott³ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Laurel, Maryland 20708

United States Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service/Resource Publication 181

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Abstract

The nature and extent of wolf-livestock conflicts in Minnesota during 1975-86 was studied as part of a wolf depredation control program. The level of wolf (Canis lupus) depredation on livestock in Minnesota, as determined from the total number of complaints verified annually during 1975-86, showed a slight upward trend but did not increase significantly. A significant portion of the annual variation in verified complaints-perhaps the best index on severity of the depredation problem was explained by variation in severity of the winter before the depredation season (inverse relation). The addition of a time variable did not account for a significant portion of the remaining variation. Verified complaints of depredations averaged 30 per year, affecting an average of 21 farms (0.33% of producers) annually. Conflicts were highly seasonal and involved primarily cattle (mainly calves), sheep, and domestic turkeys. Annual variation in losses of sheep and turkeys was higher than for cattle. In recent years, sheep and turkey losses in two northwestern counties have increased; preventive control may be warranted in those areas. Site-specific trapping and removal of wolves in response to depredations was the primary control method, resulting in captures of 437 wolves in 12 depredation seasons. For the wolf range as a whole, no relation was found between wolf removal and subsequent depredation rates; however, wolf removal seemed to reduce depredations locally at some farms. When adults and yearlings were removed, no subsequent losses occurred in about 55% of instances; removal of young of the year reduced losses in 22%. Removal of breeding wolves did not reduce the incidence of subsequent losses more than removal of nonbreeding adults and yearlings did. The low number of conflicts for 1975-86 was remarkable considering the frequent contact between wolves and livestock. However, an update of complaints for 1987-89 revealed a definite upward trend in depredations (Epilogue). Improvements in farm management practices may reduce the present number of conflicts.

Key words: Canis lupus, control, control program, depredation, domestic animal, endangered species, livestock, recovery, wolf.

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This resource is based on the following source:

Fritts, Steven H., William J. Paul, L. David Mech, and David P. Scott.  1992.
     Trends and management of wolf-livestock conflicts in Minnesota.  U.S. Fish
     and Wildlife Service, Resource Publication 181. 27 pp.

This resource should be cited as:

Fritts, Steven H., William J. Paul, L. David Mech, and David P. Scott.  1992.
     Trends and management of wolf-livestock conflicts in Minnesota.  U.S. Fish
     and Wildlife Service, Resource Publication 181.
     Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online. 
     http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/mammals/wolflive/index.htm
     (Version 15MAY98).

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Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Study Area
• Livestock Production in the Wolf Range
• Methods and Program Approach
• Data Analysis
• Depredations
  • Annual Variation and Long-term Trend
  • Seasonality of Depredations
  • Distribution of Depredations
  • Role of Animal Husbandry
  • Program Results and Effectiveness of Control Measures
  • Noncapture Methods
• Conclusion and Management Recommendations
• Implications for Areas Outside Minnesota
• Acknowledgments
• References
• Epilogue

Tables

• Table 1 -- Livestock claimed and verified as killed by wolves in MN, 1979-89.
• Table 2 -- Comparison of depredation characteristics for cattle, sheep, and turkeys in MN.
• Table 3 -- Compensation paid by MN Department of Agriculture for livestock destroyed by wolves.

Figures

• Figure 1 -- Wolf management zones in MN.
• Figure 2 -- Estimated numbers of cattle and sheep on farms within the MN wolf range.
• Figure 3 -- Winter severity index values for the MN wolf range.
• Figure 4 -- Mean seasonal distribution of verified complaints of wolf depredation on livestock.
• Figure 5 -- Seasonal distribution of verified complaints in Roseau and Kittison Counties.
• Figure 6 -- Spatial distribution of verified wolf depredations on livestock in MN.
• Figure 7 -- Wolves captured and killed in depredation control activities in MN wolf range.
• Figure 8 -- Number of adult and pup wolves captured by month, 1979-86.

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¹Present address: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Federal Building, 301 South Park, Helena, Mont. 59626.
²Present address: North Central Forest Experiment Station, 1992 Folwell Avenue, St. Paul, Minn. 55108.
³Present address: Ohio Division of Wildlife, Olentangy Wildlife Experiment Station, 8589 Horseshoe Road, Ashley, Ohio 43003.

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