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Aren't we grateful that these big guys aren't around anymore to eat us? A tyrannasaurus limb bone from Wyoming suggests they ate each other! That's from National Geographic.
Apex carnivores today are not the behemoths of the dinosaur cretaceous period. Here in Colorado they're mainly mountain lions, black bears, and newly introduced wolves. Wolverines, which may also be introduced soon, rarely attack livestock and are more adapted for scavenging.
Mountain lions and black bears are the most likely predatory contact point for humans and livestock. Mountain lions usually mind their own business. They typically prey at night, and sheep, goats, and unwatched pets are most at risk when there's opportunity. Bears are more likely to scavenge livestock than be the direct killer, but obviously, no one should get close or invite bears over for dinner.
HB24-1375, Wild Carnivores and Livestock Non-Lethal Co-existence, promotes programs and actions to protect livestock and apex carnivores from each other. Current law creates policies for livestock owners to follow. They must employ non-lethal coexistence strategies and dispose of killed livestock to prevent scavenging and further depredation to receive a permit to kill a predator.
The bill will allow compensation for killed guard dogs but not for other guardian animals. A guard dog must be trained and working as a guard dog to qualify for compensation. If predatory animals are documented in an area, the department of wildlife must create plans to protect livestock and wildlife and educate livestock owners about the plan and actions to be taken.
The department of wildlife will hire native-carnivore coexistence officers to develop and implement plans. Two state departments are involved: department of wildlife and department of agriculture. The bill requires that they cooperate to protect livestock, carnivores, and livestock owners using best practices. The bill, if passed, will set up the experiment for whether livestock, livestock owners, and apex carnivores can, if not be friends, then be coexisters.
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