232
USDA kills hundreds of Minnesota wolves to protect ranchers' profits (minnesotareformer.com)
submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
20 comments fedilink hide all child comments

It’s not easy being a wolf in northern Minnesota.

Every year dozens of the animals die of starvation, disease, parasites, vehicle traffic and poaching.

But the No. 1 killer of Minnesota wolves may come as a surprise: agents of the federal government, acting with the full force of the law.

top 20 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] [email protected] 18 points 1 year ago

Here's an idea: instead of using shitton of cash to murder wolves, use a shitton of cash to pay for fencing that keeps wolves out. Like, if the government is really using millions of dollars to kill wolves, surely they could use that money to build fences instead, right? I'd be okay with that. They're gonna be spending the money anyway, and farmers/ranchers don't tend to have a whole lot of money unless they're corporate, so expecting them to use their own money probably isn't a great solution. Give them fencing instead.

[-] [email protected] 37 points 1 year ago

Widespread fencing is very detrimental to ecosystems, it could have an even more severe effect on local wildlife than just culling the wolf population. Along these same lines, this is why many eco-orgs support deer hunting (when regulated properly by state organizations); deer season is a stand-in for the natural predators that deer used to have to contend with and allows the deer population to exist without wreaking havoc on other areas of the same ecosystem that supports them.

[-] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago

Here’s an idea: instead of using shitton of cash to murder wolves, use a shitton of cash to pay for fencing that keeps wolves out.

The agency documents and verifies those complaints, and looks for non-lethal ways to protect threatened livestock, like wolf-proof fencing.

I'm not defending killing wolves, but it was right there in the article.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Expecting the government to do something forward thinking? Especially the one funding the meat industry? Not gonna happen lmao

[-] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Yeah, but if you put "we build anti-wolf fences for you" on the meat industry's plate, they'd probably say, "oooo, government handouts, gimme gimme gimme".

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Spoken like a bunch of people who have no idea how detrimental fences and other barriers can be to local ecosystems.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

They literally have done the thing you are suggesting, and there is an example linked in the article.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I’m pretty sure that the scale of these ranches would make for an astronomically expensive fence. And it would have to be well maintained, because any little opening will be found and exploited by the animals.

Surely there’s some other solution…

[-] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

How about, like, a shit-ton of dogs trained to protect the cows from the wolves?

[-] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Sounds more feasible to me than a fence, though I don’t know much about how wolves and dogs interact. Can/will wolves kill dogs?

[-] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I’ve known dogs that treat fences like a minor inconvenience and they’re well fed!

I don’t know that the mass killing is the perfect solution but I don’t have any ideas and I know fences aren’t it.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Feed any wealthy 🤑 rich CEO , banksters ETC that's done corruption on mass scale... Feed them to the wolves

[-] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I think 🤔 the solution is ALWAYS to subsidize/ have a safety net for small "mom n pop" businesses. Not gov bailing out Evil Banksters... Help the poor class , help the middle class and everything should be "ok" . Helping wealthy 🤑 ruling class ONLY ; ruined/ruins this country.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

And yet, lately, helping the corpos is all we seem to be doing

[-] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago

We should stop subsidising the ranchers

[-] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago

Oh hey I've seen this story before!

It fucked up a LOT of shit...

[-] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

There are about 2.2 million cows in the state, according to USDA data. The five or six dozen documented and verified wolf kills in a given year amount to a few thousandths of 1 percent of the total population.

But the USDA’s actions in response inflict a steep toll upon Minnesota’s wolves. The 142 kills amount to fully 5% of the state’s estimated wolf population.

Those are quite the statistics.

[-] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Rather have the wolves than the ranchers. Grow some damn potatoes, you fuckers.

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Fuck ranchers completely and forever. Destroying our environment so that we can continue to slaughter animals pointlessly.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

poor wolves, always in friction with humans, unless they turn into forever puppies

this post was submitted on 18 Aug 2023
232 points (97.9% liked)

Minnesota

823 readers
9 users here now

About Us

We are community-driven and dedicated to celebrating the diverse and inclusive spirit of Minnesota. Whether you're a lifelong resident, a recent transplant, or simply fascinated by the Land of 10,000 Lakes, you'll find a warm and welcoming community here. Our goal is to foster meaningful discussions, share local news and events, and create a safe space for everyone to connect and engage.

Rules and Guidelines

Be Kind and Respectful: Treat others with empathy, respect, and understanding. We embrace diversity and encourage civil discourse. Personal attacks, hate speech, discrimination, and harassment will not be tolerated.

Stay on Topic: Keep your posts and comments relevant to Minnesota. Let's focus on discussing local issues, events, news, and culture.

No Spam or Self-Promotion: We love to support local businesses and initiatives, but please refrain from excessive self-promotion or spamming. Posts must provide value to the community.

Avoid Sensationalism: When sharing news articles or stories, please provide accurate and reliable sources. Avoid clickbait titles or exaggerated claims.

No Illegal Activities: Do not promote or encourage illegal activities or engage in any discussions that violate the law.

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
[email protected]