Cruising the Willamette River on a perfectly sunny summer afternoon, it was tempting to forget that we were in the middle of a Superfund site.
But as one of our tour guides reminded me, “It’s what you can’t see that will hurt you.”
Cruising the Willamette River on a perfectly sunny summer afternoon, it was tempting to forget that we were in the middle of a Superfund site.
But as one of our tour guides reminded me, “It’s what you can’t see that will hurt you.”
Fish and Wildlife asked for comments on the state’s Wolf Management Plan, and Oregonians responded in a big way.
ODFW says it received more than 22,000 letters and emails from the public and stakeholder groups such as the Oregon Cattleman’s Association, Oregon Wild, and the Hells Canyon Preservation Council.
After sorting through the pile, what’s left is a description of what we think is working – and not working – as the State searches for ways for manage its small, but growing population of wolves.
Male wolf from Wenaha pack was fitted with a radio collar on Aug. 4, 2010. ODFW photo.
For the first time, wildlife officials have captured one of the wolves in the Wenaha pack in Northeast Oregon.
The two year old male was caught on Wednesday, outfitted with a tracking collar, and released.
It’s a big deal for Oregon Fish and Wildlife. That’s because it will now be a whole lot easier for the agency to monitor the pack and learn more about how well the wolves are doing.
Russ Morgan, ODFW wolf coordinator, with the female pup radio collared on Feb. 13, 2010. Photo from ODFW.
Thanks to a federal judge in Montana, Oregon’s wolves are back on the Endangered Species List.
District Judge David Molloy ruled today that the federal government made a mistake last year when it delisted wolves in four states, including Eastern Oregon, Eastern Washington, Idaho and Montana – but kept them on the list in Wyoming.
Molloy says the law doesn’t allow for a state-by-state solution. According to the judge, the law only allows one choice. List all of the wolves in Rocky Mountain region, or list none of them.
Environmental groups are happy with the ruling, but admit it’s still to early to know what will be the long term impact of Molloy’s ruling in Oregon.
“This is good news,” says Rob Klavins of Oregon Wild, “but not the last chapter.”
A lot depends on how the feds decide to respond. Will they appeal the ruling? Will they try to delist all the Rocky Mountain wolves or will they try to re-list all of them.
Northern Spotted Owl. Photo by Dennis Newman.
As if old growth logging, and competition from barred owls wasn’t enough.
There’s another threat to Oregon’s fragile population of northern spotted owls.
Research from Oregon State University says climate change may also hurt the spotted owl’s chances for survival.
B-300, the alpha female of the Imnaha wolf pack. Taken in July of 2009 when ODFW replaced her radio collar. Photo from ODFW.
6PM: UPDATED WITH NEW INFO FROM ODFW
The hunt for wolves in Northeast Oregon is – for all practical purposes – on permanent hold as federal officials begin the job of studying how the hunt will impact the state’s small population of gray wolves.
Dan Kruse of Cascadia Wildlands says his group received a letter from USDA Wildlife Services, the agency that was assigned the job of killing two members of the Imnaha pack in Wallowa County.
He says Wildlife Services has agreed to voluntarily hold off hunting until it completes an Environmental Assessment, one of the steps called for under the National Environmental Policy Act.
Metro is adding another 1,000 feet to the popular Marine Drive Trail near the Columbia River.
