Wild Carnivores & Livestock Nonlethal Coexistence

Current law authorizes a livestock owner (owner) to be compensated when a game animal or a gray wolf kills livestock, a livestock guard, or a herding animal. To receive compensation for native carnivore depredation under current law, the bill requires the owner to:

• Employ nonlethal coexistence strategies; and
• Appropriately dispose of a livestock carcass in a manner that makes the livestock carcass inedible for native carnivores.

If an owner fails to appropriately dispose of a livestock carcass in violation of the bill and this failure results in depredation, the division of parks and wildlife (division) may not issue a permit to kill the native carnivore.

For the purposes of receiving compensation under current law, the bill also changes the definition of a working animal from "livestock guard or herding animal" to "livestock guardian dog", and the effect of this change is to stop compensation for herding animals and guard animals that are not dogs. In addition, the livestock guardian dog must be trained and working when depredated.

When native carnivores establish a presence in an area, the parks and wildlife commission must create a conflict prevention plan, which must include appropriate nonlethal measures. The bill sets standards for the plan. Then, the division must coordinate with and educate owners within the area to implement proactive nonlethal coexistence strategies. The division will hire native-carnivore coexistence officers to implement the bill.

The division must keep records of the claims and their disposition and issue a report to the relevant legislative committees.

The division and the department of agriculture must coordinate and cooperate with each other to implement the bill.

The division may seek and expend gifts, grants, and donations for native-carnivore nonlethal coexistence.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)