The Ecological Importance of Predators

Predators have profound effects throughout their ecosystems. Regrettably, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services ignores the positive role that predators play in their surrounding habitat, and has a long history of persecuting predators, considered competitors for game animals and threats to livestock and agriculture. As a result, in many areas,large predators have been eliminated entirely and most of these species now occupy only a fraction of their historical distribution.