Livestock predation rare in these parts, officials say
By Tim Kalinowski on February 1, 2018.
tkalinowski@medicinehatnews.com @MHNTimKal While landowners do have a legislated right to kill predators threatening livestock on their land in southeast Alberta, Medicine Hat district Fish and Wildlife officer Doug Etherington says it is important to keep in mind such predation activities are quite rare in this region. “As Fish and Wildlife officers, we respond to every complaint,” he says. “And I want to stress our officers need to be advised as soon as possible so we can determine the cause of death before evidence is lost. “We are trained to distinguish between valid claims of livestock predation and situations where livestock might have died or been injured as a result of other causes, such as poisonous plants or accidents. More often than not the actual cause of death is not a predator.” Etherington says the most common type of predation complaints he receives in the region are potential cougar kills. “The vast majority of complaints that come in within the southeast corner of province are cougars,” he confirms. “Coyote complaints are more rare. I have yet to investigate an eagle attack on any livestock in my 12 years here.” More often than not, Etherington says his investigations of such complaints point to evidence of scavenging activities rather than pure predation. “We as Fish and Wildlife officers have to determine through the investigation at what point the teeth marks came in,” he explains. “Did the predator kill the animal or scavenge it after it died? Coyotes are very big scavengers. Cougars are both predators and scavengers at times.” Cougar and eagle attacks on livestock are currently covered by provincial compensation programs. Losses due to coyotes are not. 10
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