USDA Is Blasting Audio of Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver’s Fight in “Marriage Story” to Help Farmers Scare Off Wolves

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is creatively using drones to protect livestock from predators, particularly a pack of grey wolves that has been posing a threat to an Oregon farm. The Wall Street Journal revealed that the Prather Ranch near the California border has endured significant losses, with an estimated 40 calves falling prey to wolves. However, due to the endangered status of many of these predators, physical harm cannot be inflicted to deter them.

The owners of the ranch, Jim and Mary Rickert, highlighted the need for innovative solutions, stating that the wolves consider their farm an easy target for picking off livestock. In response, the USDA has introduced drones equipped with speakers and bright lights as a modern form of protection. These drones simulate the presence of cowhands by shining a spotlight on approaching wolves and playing various alarming sounds, including gunshots, fireworks, and even scenes from the film “Marriage Story” featuring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver.

The effectiveness of this unconventional method has been notable. Paul Wolf, the USDA district supervisor in Oregon, initiated a federal study on “wolf hazing” using drones in 2022. In the Klamath Basin region of southern Oregon, where wolves had previously killed 11 cows within 20 days, the introduction of drones reduced the livestock deaths significantly to just two cattle in the following 85-day period. Wolf emphasised the importance of creating a negative association with humans in the minds of the wolves to deter them effectively.

Despite the success of the drone strategy, there are challenges associated with its implementation. Each drone comes at a substantial cost, with one incident involving a damaged $20,000 drone crashing into a tree during a chase. Additionally, limited battery life poses constraints on the duration of missions, some lasting as short as 20 minutes. During a night-time mission observed by the Wall Street Journal, Wolf and his team engaged in a proactive effort to ward off the wolves by using verbal warnings, bright lights, and loud music.

The Rickerts expressed concerns about the wolves potentially adapting to the drone presence over time and evolving their tactics. They remain cautiously optimistic about the effectiveness of these measures in the long run, highlighting the ongoing battle between predators and livestock owners. The use of drones for “wolf hazing” represents a new frontier in wildlife management, blending technology with traditional methods to protect both animals and livelihoods in rural communities.

The initiative by the USDA showcases a commitment to finding innovative solutions to address complex challenges faced by farmers and ranchers. The fusion of technology and wildlife conservation presents a promising avenue for coexistence between humans and predators in shared environments. Moving forward, the success of this pilot programme could pave the way for similar strategies to be adopted in other regions grappling with predator-prey conflicts, underscoring the importance of adaptability and ingenuity in safeguarding agricultural interests.