Range Rider Program Launched in Northern California
Program Implemented to Help Prevent Livestock Losses to Wolves
July 7, 2016 - SISKIYOU COUNTY, CA – Range riders are saddling up in Northern California to help prevent wolf-livestock conflicts, thanks to a recently implemented range rider program, announced the California Wolf Center. Launched July 1st, the range rider program is a collaboration between the California Wolf Center and Northern California ranchers. It is the first program of its kind ever implemented in the state.
Range riders provide a human presence that can deter wolves away from cattle or move cattle away from wolves if necessary. "Range riding has proven to be one of the most successful proactive nonlethal practices to reduce conflict between wild wolves and livestock," said Karin Vardaman, director of wolf recovery at the California Wolf Center. "This unprecedented move to establish a coexistence program before a substantial wolf population is established in California is critical to the success of wild wolf recovery." Currently there are seven known wolves in the far northern section of the state.
To help ensure the success of the program, the California Wolf Center sponsored Northern California ranchers to participate in a range rider training program held in Tom Miner Basin, Montana.
In addition to reducing conflict between wolves and livestock, range riding can provide numerous incidental benefits such as improving the quality of life for cattle. The benefits include spotting and treating livestock injuries or illnesses more quickly, rekindling herd behavior and increasing vigilance in the herd.
The range rider program is just one way the California Wolf Center is ensuring that the Golden State is a safe haven for wolves. In late April, the Center hosted six coexistence workshops for ranchers throughout Northern California's wolf country. The workshops featured presentations from Carter Niemeyer, a renowned wolf biologist, Timmothy Kaminski, a wolf-livestock coexistence expert and Joe Engelhart, a long-time rancher who has successfully learned to live with wolves.
"Supporting the sustainability of the ranching community – the stewards of California’s open spaces - is also monumentally important. But without tolerance from those sharing the landscape with wild wolves, there will be no wolf recovery," furthered Vardaman.
About California Wolf Center
The California Wolf Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the return of wild wolves to their natural habitat and to the people who share the landscape with them. We foster communities coming together to ensure wolves, livestock, and people thrive in today’s world. Learn more at californiawolfcenter.org
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Media Contact
Michelle Carroll, Director of Education and Volunteers