Status of Gray Wolf Recovery

NAWA NEWS - http://www.nawa.org


U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Region 6

The Mountain-Prairie Region
Gray Wolf Recovery Status Report
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From: Gray Wolf Recovery Coordinator, Helena, MT 2/26/99
Subject: Status of Gray Wolf Recovery, Weeks of 2/13-2/26 1999

Monitoring

Packs in the Yellowstone, central Idaho, and NW Montana areas appear to be
in their normal home ranges. Two of the trio near Jackson were seen tied
on 2/19. Female of the Chief Joseph 2 pack which uses an area north of
Yellowstone Park and raised pups by herself in 97 and 98, has been joined
by 2 males. In addition a male form the Rose Creek pack continues to be
located with a female of unknown origin near the Blacktail Plateau. There
are 11 groups of wolves in the Yellowstone area at this time.

Wolves in central Idaho are using their traditional home ranges and at
least 12 groups (10 of which bred last year) are present. Field efforts in
Northwestern Montana are being expanded by biologists Tom Meier and Diane
Boyd-Heger. During the week of 2/16 they travelled to Eureka, MT and
looked for wolf sign with assistance form Forest Service biologists. No
fresh sign was found but many contacts were made and the area will be
searched again if evidence of wolf activity is found. It is possible that
1999 will be the first year that at least 30 breeding pairs produce pups
in the northern Rocky Mountains.

The biggest news story involved the dispersal of a radio-collared yearling
female wolf from the Jureano Mountain pack into eastern Oregon. She had
been missing from the Jureano pack for several weeks and was located
between Baker City and the Idaho border in mid-February. Currently the
short-term plans are to monitor her movements to determine if she returns
to Idaho or if she begins to settle down. This time of year dispersing
wolves are in search of other wolves, it is likely she won't find any in
Oregon. It wouldn't be surprising for her to return to an area she knows
has wolves (Idaho). Bad weather has made monitoring difficult but efforts
will continue to be made to follow her movements closely. Depending upon
her movement pattern and location she may be returned to Idaho. If she
depredated on livestock she could be moved or killed.

Control

The Pleasant Valley pack attacked livestock again on the 18th. On the
19th, 3 of the remaining 6 pack members were shot. The three remaining
wolves (2 radio-collared) will be monitored and if they continue to attack
livestock they will be killed. The four members of this pack that were
relocated in late January continue to move around the Swan Valley and near
the release site at Spotted Bear.

A radio-collared dispersing male yearling wolf just east of Salmon, Idaho
attacked and killed a calf on the 18th. The wolf was darted on 2/22 and
relocated to the South Fork of the Salmon River the next day. Wildlife
Services, Tribe, and Service did a great job in difficult logistic
conditions.

Research

Yellowstone National Park will begin its winter wolf predation study in
March. The study of wolf predation near Salmon Idaho is going well and
nearly 50 lion and wolf kills have been examined this winter. The study is
funded by the County Commission, among others.

The Tribe completed a draft study plan for investigating the cause and
rate of livestock death on remote Forest Service grazing allotments near
Salmon, Idaho.

Information and education and law enforcement

The WY, MT, and ID wolf biologists met in Helena on February 25th to
attend a wolf snaring class put on by Wildlife Services specialists. The
class was excellent.

Doug Smith gave a wolf presentation at the National Museum of Wildlife Art
in Jackson on the 16th. He gave several presentations during the week of
the 22nd, in Fargo, ND, St Paul, MN, and Washington, D.C.

Mike Jimenez and Brian Cox are the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wyoming
Wolf Recovery Office. They are stationed in Lander, WY and are still
getting their phones and computers set up. Currently they can be reached
at (307)332-7789.

The Helena office plans to hire 2 term (up to 4 years) GS-5 biological
technicians this spring. Those interested persons must have large
carnivore field experience to be competitive. Interested persons should
send their name and address to (Wolf Jobs, USFWS, 100 N. Park, #320,
Helena, MT 59601) Those people will be notified (late March). Please no
phone calls. In additional the Service in Helena will hire at least two
seasonal GS-5 biologists for a 6 month appointment.

The Service's weekly wolf report can now be viewed at the Service's Region
6 web site at http://www.r6.fws.gov/wolf in addition to the regular
distribution.

Contact: Ed Bangs (406)449-5225 x204 or Internet-ED_BANGS@FWS.GOV

http://www.r6.fws.gov/wolf/wk022699.htm

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