KQED's Forum Ranchers vs. Wolves: Navigating a Controversial Comeback
Mar 5, 2026
Beth Pratt, wildlife advocate for California who pushes nonlethal coexistence and funding. Paul Rowan, Sierra Valley ranch manager dealing with livestock losses and push for stronger local management. Kaggie Orrick, UC Berkeley wolf scientist studying behavior and habitat. They discuss wolves recolonizing California, on-the-ground impacts for ranchers, deterrence and compensation struggles, and debates over removal versus coexistence.
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Rapid Wolf Recolonization Driven By Habitat Mosaic
- Gray wolves recolonized California quickly after Yellowstone reintroduction starting with OR7 in 2011.
- Kaggie Orrick notes habitat mosaic (national forests, parks, working lands) and generalist diet let wolves expand to ~10 packs and ~70 individuals.
Few Wolves Causing Many Depredations In California
- California sees disproportionately high livestock depredations relative to its small wolf population.
- Kaggie Orrick compares 50–70 wolves in California causing 193 depredations last year versus far larger populations in states with fewer incidents.
Sierra Valley Ranch Suffered Nightly Wolf Depredations
- Paul Rowan describes wolves denning behind his house and nightly depredations across Sierra Valley.
- He reports about 95 confirmed/probable kills in the valley and personally lost ~50 head (4 cows, 9 yearlings, rest calves).