Fladry
What is it?
Fladry is a temporary fence that has a single strand of poly-wire with red flags attached to it. When the poly wire is electrified, this tool is called turbo fladry. The goal of using this tool is to deter wolves from livestock or attractants contained within the perimeter of the fence. Turbo fladry can deter wolves for longer periods than unelectrified fladry, on average 2-3 months. While touching any electric fence can cause a shock, the low, pulsed amperage used for turbo fladry prevents it from posing a threat to humans and livestock.
Fladry can be used to protect any kind of livestock and secure attractants, but is most commonly used for protecting vulnerable cattle and sheep. It has been used successfully by ranchers living with wolves across the West, including Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, California, Oregon, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
Why does it work?
Fladry works because wolves are instinctively “neophobic”— meaning that they are naturally fearful of anything new or unfamiliar, such as flags flapping in the wind. Turbo fladry is even more effective because if wolves become bold enough to approach and “test” the electrified poly-wire, they will receive a shock that reinforces their avoidance of the flags. However, with enough time and experience, wolves will become familiar with fladry, rendering it useless; this is why it is meant to be used temporarily and must be taken down after a set period.
The height and design of the flags also influences how effective it is, making routine maintenance critically important. The height of the poly wire is designed to be roughly 30 inches from the ground, which is shoulder level for an average-size wolf. This sets the bottom of flags at roughly a hand’s width from the ground. The distance between the flags is also too narrow for a wolf to fit through without touching, which deters them from attempting to slip through or under it.
When is it effective?
Fladry is most effective in smaller, defined areas when livestock are particularly vulnerable to predation, such as a calving pasture. Operations that employ this tool typically use no more than 1-2 miles of fladry, and it is most effective when installed in a complete loop.
For this tool, or any fence, to remain effective, it must be properly maintained. Once fladry is deployed, it requires at least 2 hours of maintenance per week to ensure the fladry is at the proper height and not buried, snapped, tangled, or experiencing electrical shortages. This is especially important after wind and snow storms. In Colorado, there are agency and nonprofit staff willing to help you with this maintenance.
How to implement it?
Only select manufacturers produce fladry, and at a steep cost. That is why agencies and nonprofit organizations are committed to stockpiling this tool for producers to access. In Colorado, you can borrow turbo fladry from Colorado Parks and Wildlife through their Wolf Conflict Minimization Program at no cost. Agency and staff from various nonprofits may be available to help with the labor required by this tool during installation, maintenance, and removal. To explore whether fladry may be a good fit for you, get in touch with your local CPW office or District Wildlife Manager.
Additional Resources on Fladry
Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s A Producer’s Guide to Livestock Depredations
Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Conflict Minimization Program In-Depth Producer Guide
Natural Resource Defense Council’s Guide to Installing Turbo Fladry
Western Landowners Alliance’s Electric Fencing Producer Toolkit
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Factsheet on Fencing, Fladry, and Night Penning
Electrified Fladry for Deterrence of Gray Wolves (Canis lupus): An Evolving Manual of Best Practices by Steve Primm, Bryce Andrews, and Amy Robinson