Modern cowboys are saddling up in the US West. And they’re on a whole new mission

‘They’re the eyes, ears and messengers of the range, watching for environmental threats and signs of conflict, while reporting information back to producers.’ Photograph: Courtesy Colorado Parks and Wildlife

For most people, the word “cowboy” still summons a figure from Western folklore – a rough rider with a weathered face and a steely gaze, a self-reliant loner who answers to nobody, is fearless in the face of danger, and protects his lands from predators – animal and human alike.

But over the past 15 years, a new range rider has emerged in the American West, one that is out on a wholly different mission: to live in a wild landscape where livestock and predators can co-exist.