Since California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials announced killing five grey wolves Oct. 24, reaction in Plumas and Sierra counties has been largely somber. Even ranchers who had lost livestock to wolves expressed regrets that the situation had escalated to lethally removing the apex predators.
“It’s just sad in so many ways – sad the wolves were put in this position,” said Rick Roberti in a telephone interview with The Plumas Sun. A Sierra County rancher who has lost several livestock to wolves, Roberti is president of the California Cattlemen’s Association.
CDFW officials said in October they took “the difficult step” of lethally removing four gray wolves (Canis lupus) from the Beyem Seyo pack, which has been active in Sierra Valley for well over a year. They targeted a breeding male and female pair, a solo male and a solo female. During the operation a juvenile male was killed accidently, CDFW reported…