Wolves continue to be the number cause of predatory loss of livestock across the Cariboo.
Kevin Boon, General Manager of the BC Cattlemen’s Association says wolves are having are affecting more than just livestock and local ranchers within the area.
“It’s put emphasis on the fact that we do need to manage not only our own domestic livestock, but we have to manage the wildlife as well so that it is sustainable in itself too. If we let predators get out of hand, then we lose out on the other wildlife as well as the deer and caribou.”
Boon adds that the Cattlemen’s Association is looking to work even more closely with government officials and conservation officers to tackle the issue.
“Maybe an ability to go in and do a little more heavily concentrated mitigation on them when we do see some real problem areas. The wolves start on the ungulates; the deer and the elk, When those numbers get depleted, then they turn to the cattle.”
Boon says the Cattlemen’s association also works closely with the Trappers Association.
Five ranches in the Big Creek area have recently lost 100 head of cattle (an estimated value of $200,000) due to recent wolf attacks on livestock.