Wolf Kill Update: Traps To Capture Wolves Are Empty
The first attempt to capture the wolves that killed about two dozen lambs at a ranch in Baker County came up empty.
Surveillance Photo Courtesy US Fish and Wildlife and Oregon Fish and Wildlife.
Wildlife officials placed traps for the wolves yesterday, but caught nothing overnight. Phil Carroll with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Portland says they’ll move the traps to a different location and hope for better luck.
Fish and Wildlife will release the wolves after they’re caught. Carroll says capturing them allows the service to put radio collars on the wolves and collect blood samples. When they’re back in the wild, the collars help officials do a better job of tracking the wolves.
The collars also set off devices called RAG (Radio Automated Guard) boxes. So if wolves with collars return to the ranch they will trigger an alarm.
Carroll adds electrified fladry fencing will be installed today. Fladry is a long line with flags hanging from it. While it doesn’t physically keep wolves away from livestock, it does create a psychological barrier that most wolves won’t cross.
The fladry was provided by Defenders of Wildlife which is offering to pay the rancher for the loss of his lambs. The group’s Suzanne Stone says they haven’t heard from him yet. But he’s told the Baker City Herald he plans to seek compensation of about $7000.
