New Nonprofit To Take Over Wolf Payments

Defenders of Wildlife on Friday wrapped up its long-standing program of compensating ranchers for livestock killed by endangered Mexican gray wolves, as the payment program is shifted to another nonprofit organization. Now Fish and Wildlife is in the process of setting up a board of stakeholders, including both ranchers and conservationists, that will decide how to disburse funds managed by the Washington, D.C.-based National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The program has been dubbed the Mexican Wolf Interdiction Trust Fund. The payments will compensate ranchers for animal losses attributed to wolves, as well for trying to minimize conflicts between lobos and livestock. Those efforts could include hazing wolves, setting up fencing or paying range riders to protect herds, according to Tom Buckley, spokesman for the Fish and Wildlife Service's regional office in Albuquerque. Caren Cowan, executive director of the New Mexico Cattle Growers' Association, said "it was very generous of Defenders to do a program at all, since we believe it was the federal government's responsibility." But Cowan said the standard Defenders had set for a confirmed wolf kill in order for ranchers to receive compensation was "so high that we believe only a small percentage of the animals killed was being compensated." Cowan said she hoped the board determining payments from the Mexican Wolf Interdiction Trust Fund employs a lower standard for confirmed wolf kills...more