Predators
Predators, more than any other wildlife, engendered fear and loathing, prompting an all-out assault through much of history.
Often painted as the enemy to livestock production and therefore frontier and later rural civilization, predators’ positive role in the environment was never considered.
Predators evolved alongside the herds they hunted. Predators keep herds healthy and strong by selectively culling the weakest members—the old, the injured, the genetically compromised and abandoned youngsters. In their pursuit of prey, predators also keep the vast herds on the move, protecting habitat by keeping the grazers from staying in one place too long.
When we look at nature’s big picture, we have to recognize the role predators play in the health of the natural world. True biodiversity must also include fangs and claws.
Latest articles
Read more about predators and management practices:
Attacking Aoudad on Behalf of Bighorn
NOTE: this post was originally published to this site on February 6th, 2017 The Borderlands Research Institute (BRI) and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) say aoudad harm desert mule deer, pronghorn and desert […]
Desperate to Rid Catalina of Invasive Deer, Officials Propose Bold Helicopter Hunt
It’s hard to name a single wildlife “management” practice pursued by the big conservation bureaucracies that does not involve the wholesale killing out of entire wildlife populations. Their glaring management failures are blamed on climate […]
Wolves Culling Deer Herds
Predators including wolves can cull weak or sick deer, elk and caribou much better than any wildlife “manager”. This makes predators the best means of removing CWD-infected animals from our wild herds.
Hunting With the Dark Wolf | Wild Yellowstone
A pack of hungry wolves hunts elk in the middle of Yellowstone’s cold winter. National Geographic Wild (http://bit.ly/NatGeoWILD) is a place for all things animals and for animal-lovers alike.
Bisoncast: Hand and Paw
Wolves: there may be no other wild animal that inspires such a complex range of human emotions. In this visit to the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole Wyoming, we’ll explore […]
Grizzly Bear Attack in Canada’s Banff National Park Leaves Two Dead
Once again, unhunted bear populations – with no fear of humans – are killing people. This is what happens when environmental/wildlife decisions disregard people, their lives, and livelihoods.
Drought Busters: Restoring Desertified Desert Grasslands
We call the combination of wild animals, planned grazing, water harvesting, and Keyline subsoiling “Drought Busters”. Drought Busters is cheap, fast, poisons no plants, kills no animals, and increases the numbers and diversity of both. […]
Wildlife Killing Contests – The Movie
The polite and restrained movie appearing below is not anti-hunting. In fact, it should be mandatory viewing for all hunters and wildlife lovers. While most of the contests target predators, each shot fired damages […]
Farmer Videos Grizzlies Frolicking On His Potato Farm
These animals were probably orphaned cubs. They became increasingly aggressive through the summer. They were killed by IGFA agents in early September.
Woman Is Killed by a Bear Near Yellowstone, Officials Say
As discussed below, grizzly populations are expanding, and human-grizzly conflicts are increasing. This inevitably leads to more bears being killed by agencies charged with removing problem bears and humans defending themselves. It also prompts […]
Redefining “Recovery” of Grizzly Bears
Here is the position of those who say that the definitions governing Grizzly Bear recovery should be expanded. NOTE: this post was originally published to this site on January 18, 2021
The Role of Ruminants in Environmental Health
An excellent video from the Savory Center for Holistic Management, in Zimbabwe. The thinking described is largely missing from the management of our public ranges, forests, and national parks, even though ALL […]
Let’s Tell the Truth About Wolf Predation
“As discussed below, actual livestock deaths from wolf predation are few, and greatly exaggerated.
Thousands Tune In to Watch Otis, Four-Time Champ of ‘Fat Bear Week,’ on Livecam
Otis the fat bear.
State Seeks to Kill 50% More Lions in Hard-hit Deer Range
“Predator removals – paid for by the government for 150-years – have done vast damage to wildlife and habitat. How sad that despite all their accumulated animal knowledge and historical experience, the agencies apparently have […]
4 Most Endangered Whitetail Destinations in America
Quoting the article below, “ The great state of Texas sports one of the most robust and proud deer hunting cultures in the nation, but it’s also home to what some consider the greatest threat […]
Wolf Caught Swimming Off Remote Part of Vancouver Island
“A British Columbia woman was on a boat at the right time and managed to see a wolf swimming near Kyuquot Sound off the coast of Vancouver Island.
How Predators and Forest Management Affect Elk Numbers
Elk numbers around Yellowstone Park have declined over recent decades. This is usually blamed on wolves and bears. But according to this video, forest management probably plays a larger role. NOTE: this post […]
My Rancher Parents Hate Wolves. I Took Them on a Wolf-Watching Tour in Yellowstone to Change Their Minds
The wolf debate out West is driven in large part by ignorance – on both sides. A morning spent with Wolf Trackers would greatly help the parties to find common ground for compromise. In […]
The Chase
“A national park should present a vignette of primitive America.” – A. Starker Leopold Predator-prey chases happen countless times every day in Yellowstone, but we rarely witness them. Kira Cassidy, research associate with […]
Nature’s Fear Factor
“For animals in Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park, the normal balance of competition and predation was upended when a war wiped out the top predators. The remaining animals didn’t simply grow in numbers—they began behaving in […]