5 wolves killed in Northern California by wildlife agents

"Five wolves in Northern California were killed this month by the state's wildlife agency, which cited increasing attacks on livestock. The wolves were part of the Beyem Seyo pack in the Sierra Valley, north of Truckee, said a news release last week by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The lethal removal came after months of efforts to address livestock killing in the area, the agency said."

"This decision was not made lightly nor was it easy, said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham in the news release. Despite extensive non-lethal efforts, including hazing and adaptive tools used by our Summer Strike Team, these wolves continued to prey on livestock. The situation with this pack is far outside any comparable experience across the state or the West, making the long-term recovery of gray wolves much harder."

"The wolves killed were a breeding pair and two other adults, plus a juvenile that was mistaken for an adult and killed accidentally. The agency says the Beyem Seyo wolves killed 70 livestock animals between March 28 and Sept. 10 63% of the total livestock losses to wolves in California during that period. Wildlife managers used tactics including drones, beanbags, diversionary feeding, deterrent fences and round-the-clock field presence, but the wolves persisted in killing cattle, the DFW said."

Five wolves in Northern California were killed by the state wildlife agency after repeated livestock attacks. The animals belonged to the Beyem Seyo pack in Sierra Valley, north of Truckee. Months of nonlethal interventions—hazing, adaptive tools from a Summer Strike Team, drones, beanbags, diversionary feeding, deterrent fences and round-the-clock field presence—failed to stop depredations. The wolves killed included a breeding pair, two other adults and a juvenile mistakenly killed as an adult. The pack killed 70 livestock between March 28 and Sept. 10, accounting for 63% of statewide wolf-related losses during that period. Remaining juveniles will be captured to prevent learned predation.

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