Rancher Richard Egan faces significant challenges operating cattle on lands shared with the Lassen Pack of wolves. In addition to the loss of livestock, the presence of wolves creates stress affecting cattle health and reproduction. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife's 'pay for presence' initiative aims to compensate ranchers for these intangible impacts, providing funds based on the concept that sharing land with wolves incurs recurring costs. The pilot program, despite running out of funds, successfully granted nearly $1 million to producers and continues to evolve as a viable compensation model for wolf recovery efforts.
"Pay for presence, on my landscape, is by far the most important because it's just impossible to locate and find the direct kills."
"The stress of living with predators, for example, can cause cows to put on less weight or give birth to fewer calves."
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