Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) Reports State Gray Wolf Compensation Program in Jeopardy
From the Sierra Sun Times:
March 17, 2024 – The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) reports the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Wolf Livestock Compensation Grants program could be in jeopardy due to the state’s impressive budget shortfall. The program was established and funded in 2021 to compensate livestock owners for depredation experienced with the presence of gray wolves. Since gray wolves began to repopulate California in the mid-2010s, wolf packs have now been established in six RCRC member counties. And with the animal designated as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act, it limits ranchers’ ability to mitigate wolf presence impacts on their livestock.
