Lava Lake Institute for Science & Conservation

Since the reintroduction of the wolf to the western United States in 1995, conflicts between wolves and livestock have resulted in dead animals – both livestock and wolves - and hostility between people with different perspectives.

The Wood River Wolf Project was created in 2009 to address these issues. WRWP is a collaboration of ranchers, community members, conservationists, and government agencies working to promote the peaceful co-existence of wolves and livestock.

Our accomplishments to date:

Fewer than 1% of sheep have been killed by wolves in the project area – a number much lower than the average in Idaho

No wolves have been killed in the project area

What we do:

We train ranchers in best practices that help prevent wolf-livestock interactions, including:

• increased human presence
• guard dogs
• electric fencing with “turbo fladry” flags for night-time temporary corrals
• use of noise makers and bright lights to startle and deter wolves

We provide volunteers to help herders protect sheep when wolves are active in the area.

We educate the local community about the importance of predators in the ecosystem and methods for reducing wolf-livestock conflicts.

We share information and training with ranchers, land managers and conservationists in other parts of the West, Europe and Australia.

Why this work matters:

Large iconic predators, such as the wolf, are an important part of a fully functioning ecosystem. They keep other species in balance and help keep their populations healthy by culling sick or weak animals. 

Finding ways for agriculture and wildlife to co-exist is a win-win: vibrant ecosytems attract tourism, which is good for local economies. Sustainable agriculture produces high quality local food, which is also good for local economies.