In the wild, wide open landscapes of the American West, how animals-and predators- are treated depends on the stories people tell about them. The story of conflict between humans and wildlife is as old as humanity. But the landscapes of today have little resemblance to the landscapes of the past. Over the last several hundred years, human consumption, development, greed, and over-population have increasingly displaced large predators. We need new, more nuanced, compassionate, empathetic stories; stories that recognize our place within the natural order, and the value of wild places and other animals’ right to live free of human interference and persecution.