Wolves a $15-Million Problem for B.C. Ranchers

B.C. wolf cull | BCBusiness
A boom in B.C.’s wolf population is costing cattle farmers a pretty penny, prompting the industry to ask for a cull. The last wolf cull in B.C. was during the 1980s.

The association representing B.C.’s cattle farmers are pushing the provincial government for the first wolf cull since the 1980s.

B.C.’s growing wolf population is once again pitting the province’s conservationist groups against cattle farmers.
 
According to the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association, the wolves have become a $15-million problem for the industry. The association claims a rash of wolf attacks is costing their members that much each year in lost livestock.
 
Their solution? Allow a cull of wolf packs in the most affected regions (i.e. Cariboo and Peace River).
 
The proposal was also prompted by a surprising recent decision from neighbouring Washington. The state’s fish and wildlife department killed off a B.C. wolf pack last week that had wandered across the international border to feast on U.S. cattle.
 
Cattle farmers blame the population boom on a mild winter last year and an abundance of docile cattle for prey.
 
However, according to The Vancouver Sun, even the association admits that the dozens of farmer claims of wolf attacks are unverified. So why cull wolves when they may not always be the culprits? And aren’t some minor livestock losses just the cost of doing business?
 
Grey wolves are protected as an endangered species in the U.S., but B.C. currently allows trapping and hunting of wolves during a prescribed season. The statute even allows for farmers to trap wolves found on their property or harassing their livestock. So why is a further cull necessary?