Ranchers reimbursed for wolves' poaching

HELENA, Mont. — Defenders of Wildlife, which compensates ranchers for livestock killed by wolves, paid out more than $68,000 in the 12-month period that ended in October, the group says.

In all, 46 ranchers were compensated for 294 cattle or sheep that were confirmed killed by wolves during the 12-month period.

Defenders of Wildlife, which supported the reintroduction of wolves into the Yellowstone ecosystem, established the special fund in 1987 to ensure that ranchers are compensated for livestock lost to the predators. Since 1987, $335,000 has been paid out, said Nina Fascione, vice president of species conservation for the Washington, D.C.-based group.

The amount paid out has steadily increased since the first wolves were reintroduced beginning in in 1995 — from $7,480 in 1996 to more than $62,000 in 2002.

"With the wolf population not only growing, but spreading into new areas with more livestock, it was always expected that there would be more depredation," she said.

Fascione said that while she didn't want to discount the economic loss that wolf kills have caused individual ranchers, she is surprised at the relatively small number of animals wolves have killed since the species was reintroduced.

"It's been a fraction of what they thought it would be," she said.

Since the fund was established, Defenders of Wildlife paid out on 1,322 dead animals, including 377 cattle and 897 sheep.

The group will reimburse the full market value of sheep or cattle lost only if wildlife officials confirm that the animals were killed by wolves. The group will reimburse 50 percent of market value for animals killed in what is officially regarded as a possible but unproven wolf kill.