WS also addresses wildlife threats to public health and safety and conducts activities to protect endangered and threatened species from predators. Predator Damage WS believes that predators are necessary components of ecosystems and play an important part in the environment. However, in some situations, these animals prey on livestock, endangered species, and pets or pose a threat to human health and safety. The most significant predators of livestock are coyotes, foxes, bears, mountain lions, and bobcats.
Coyotes are responsible for more damage than all other predators combined.
Each year, predators kill millions of dollars' worth of lambs, calves, and goats. Losses of pigs and poultry are also significant. Some predators, such as black bears, can also damage agricultural crops and timber stands. In addition to agricultural damage, predators sometimes pose a threat to human health and safety. At the request of Federal and State agencies, WS relocates or removes black bears, mountain lions, and coyotes from campgrounds and other public areas where they pose a threat to human safety.