America’s centuries-old conflict with wolves took another turn earlier this month when President Donald Trump ordered the animals be stripped of federal protections across several U.S. states, claiming the action will provide economic relief for ranchers.
Alongside a suite of regulatory reviews to “promote financial viability” for ranchers, Trump ordered the Interior secretary to begin the process of removing gray and Mexican wolves from the endangered species list, and directed the Agriculture secretary to encourage states to make it easier for ranchers to shoot wolves.
But an Inside Climate News review of state and federal data indicates that wolves account for a tiny percentage of total cattle deaths. And while some individual ranchers in areas with intense wolf-livestock conflicts may face significant losses, other factors, like climate-fueled droughts, high fuel prices, persistent inflation and the Trump administration’s decision to pause levies on hundreds of thousands of pounds of beef imports are likely applying far more economic pressure to the industry than wolves.
A wolf pack’s presence near a ranch can impact a rancher’s bottom line, even if the animals don’t kill any cattle. But the Trump administration’s focus on delisting the predators and reducing their numbers with lethal management is misdirected, experts say.
More of our coverage of the biggest story on the planet:
- Republicans in Congress are continuing their efforts to shield the fossil fuel industry from legal liability for its role in climate change, as the House Judiciary Committee considers the Stop Climate Shakedowns Act.
- The unfinished expansion of Gross Reservoir near Denver can proceed after three judges ruled Tuesday in favor of the federal government and a water utility’s challenge to a lower court opinion halting construction.
- A new bill moving through the Senate would make it much more difficult for the Department of Energy to update energy efficiency standards for home appliances like dishwashers, washing machines and boilers. It would also set a path for the department to backslide on existing energy efficiency mandates.
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