by Jessica Stevenson
COOKS — This month two calves and a cow were killed by wolves on a farm in Cooks. There are over 650 wolves residing in the Upper Peninsula, and they are found in every county. Attacks can happen anywhere.
Farmer David Robere never expected to find wolves in his own backyard.
“It’s one of those things you always think is going to happen to everybody else and it’s never going to happen to you,” said Robere. “We were very disappointed”
A week after the attack, a wolf was standing only 400 feet from his house where his young grandchildren play.
“I’m kind of concerned somebody somewhere is going to loose a child someday to one I’m afraid,” said Robere. “I hope not, but there’s just too many.”
Livestock wolf attacks have typically been most common in the central-western U.P. This year, patterns are suggesting attacks may become more frequent across the entire peninsula.
“We are experiencing a little bit higher rates of depredation this year,” said DNR wildlife biologist Brian Roell. “It’s something we anticipated just with the down turn in the deer heard so that natural prey availability isn’t there.”
If you suspect depredation has occurred on your property preserve the evidence and contact the DNR immediately.
Like they did with Dave, they can work with you to get reimbursement for your lost cattle and provide you with fatal and non-fatal prevention methods.
“Keep those animals from coming back and break that cycle so you don’t get those animals used to eating livestock,” Roell said. “It really goes a long way in preventing damage down the road and for years to come.”
More for information, visit the DNR website.