mountain livestock cooperative:
conserving the working ranch and large carnivore populations in the west
Timm Kaminski
The Mountain Livestock Cooperative is a non-profit conservation initiative that combines knowledge of ranching tradition and economics with a scientific understanding of carnivore-livestock interactions to sustain the working ranch and large carnivore populations in the Mountain West. Drawing on the experience of local ranchers and using science to understand the nature of carnivore-livestock relationships, our vision is straightforward: develop a practical ‘working model’ to reduce large carnivore-livestock conflicts across foothill and mountain landscapes in western North America. We emphasize the tremendous conservation value of private ranchlands and the important role that ranchers can play in crafting workable solutions that benefit livestock producers and sustain persistent grizzly bear and wolf populations.


The following objectives are at the core of our program:
  • Assess the circumstances associated with past livestock depredations;
  • Determine what factors contribute to current large carnivore conflicts and depredations;
  • Identify practical techniques to avoid depredations and integrate with new practices for managing large carnivores and livestock;
  • Evaluate the practicality, ease, and cost effectiveness of techniques to keep livestock safe from predator attacks;
  • Conduct extension programs in rural and urban communities that inform people about the value of an integrated, proactive and “learning-based” approach to sustain and conserve ranching, livestock, and large carnivores;
  • Develop an incentive-based indemnity program that provides timely and full compensation for livestock losses with emphasis to ranchers who integrate depredation avoidance methods into their livestock management practices;
  • Advocate a North American Carnivore Trust that leverages appropriated dollars with public and private contributions to provide long-term public funding for research, information, and management of carnivores and their prey at province and state levels.