YREKA, Calif. — The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors will consider a letter to California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton “Chuck” Bonham as part of the consent agenda during their regular meeting on April 15, 2025. The letter, dated April 3, 2025, outlines growing concerns over the impact of gray wolves on the county’s agricultural community, particularly livestock predation, and calls for urgent action to mitigate conflicts.
The letter highlights the significant toll wolf predation has taken on local ranchers, citing over 78 confirmed and 9 probable livestock kills in Siskiyou County since 2021. It suggests the actual number could be much higher—potentially hundreds—due to challenges in locating carcasses in dense vegetation and the loss of evidence over time. One Shasta Valley ranch alone reported over 40 confirmed depredations. Beyond direct losses, the letter notes that wolf presence causes stress to livestock, reducing pregnancy rates and weight gain, which threatens the economic viability of ranching operations.
“The presence of wolves near or among livestock not only leads to direct kills but also causes significant stress to the animals,” the letter states, emphasizing the broader impact on the agricultural community.
