Posts Tagged ‘ gray wolves ’

Video Released From Wolf Kill, As Ranchers Get Angry

April 16, 2009
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Oregon’s first wolf kill in more than 60 years was bound to reignite the controversy over wolf protection, and the anger ranchers feel over seeing them return to the state. Four more sheep died from the attack, bringing the total to 23 dead at the ranch in Baker County.

As today’s article in the Baker City Herald makes clear, ranchers are particularly upset because the kills took place inside pens near a home and barn. They’re calling them “rogue wolves” that must be taken out. The ranchers also want state laws changed so they can shoot wolves in the act of attacking livestock.

But over the past couple days environmentalists have defended the wolf’s status as an endangered species. Suzanne Stone of Defenders of Wildlife told us wolf kills only account for about 1% of annual livestock losses. She says farmer and ranchers lose far more livestock to natural deaths, coyotes, cougars, bears and domestic dogs. For Greg Dyson with the Hells Canyon Preservation Council, the quick reaction by wildlife officials to prevent further attacks is proof that Oregon’s Wolf Management plan is working as it should.

Also late today, Oregon Fish and Wildlife released this short video of the wolves that was taken early Monday morning.

Wolf Kill Update: Traps To Capture Wolves Are Empty

April 16, 2009
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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.

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.

Feds Confirm Wolf Kill, Trying To Capture and Collar Them

April 15, 2009
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And now the news we’ve been expecting all day.

Just moments ago, U.S. Fish and Wildlife in Portland issued a press release confirming that a wolf, or wolves, are responsible for the killing of 19 lambs at a ranch in Baker County. The next step is to capture the wolves, outfit them with radio collars, take blood samples, then return them to the wild.

Surveillance Photo Courtesy US Fish and Wildlife and Oregon Fish and Wildlife.

Surveillance Photo Courtesy US Fish and Wildlife and Oregon Fish and Wildlife.

The radio collars will make it easier for wildlife officials to track the wolves after release, to determine if more wolves were involved, and if a pack has formed in the area.

Fish and Wildlife says it’s working with the rancher and ODFW to prevent further losses. Gary Miller from the La Grande office says the rancher has taken some good steps and that Defenders of Wildlife is providing him with anti-wolf protection called fladry, which is electric fencing with flagging.

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Photo Released Of Wolves In Baker City Ranch Kill

April 15, 2009
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Here’s our first look at the wolves believed to be involved in the killing of 19 lambs at a ranch near Baker City. The photo is part of the evidence wildlife officials used to confirm that wolves were responsible for the depredation. It was taken during the early morning hours on Monday.

A trail camera set up by USFWS and ODFW captured this photo of wolves at the site of a depredation of sheep in Baker County.

A trail camera set up by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Oregon Department Of Fish and Wildlife, captured this photo of wolves at the sheep ranch in Baker County.

Wolf Update #3: Enviro Groups Trying To Help Rancher

April 15, 2009
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While we wait for more information about the wolf attack on a Baker City sheep ranch, we’ve heard from a couple of the environmental groups in the area.

Suzanne Stone with Defenders of Wildlife in Idaho says the group has sent a staffer to offer help prevent future losses to wolves at the ranch. One way to do that is to install a type of fencing called fladry. That’s basically a long line of nylon, stretched around an enclosure, with long flags hanging from it. Fladry doesn’t physically stop wolves from getting through, but Stone says it creates a psychological barrier that wolves won’t cross. Sometimes the fladry is electrified. The technique has been field tested in North America for about a decade and Stone says it works well.

Stone says other techniques may include installing more lighting, adding noisemakers and guard dogs. More information can be found on the group’s website.

Defenders has also offered compensate the rancher for the losses, when official confirmation comes through that wild wolves were the predators in the attack. She estimates that the 19 lambs killed would be worth $2000 -$2500 at last fall’s market prices.

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Update On Wolf Attack At Ranch Near Baker City

April 15, 2009
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Here’s the latest information that we have.

We’ve learned that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is making the official confirmation that wolves are responsible for the attack on the sheep ranch near Baker City. 19 lambs were killed. Since Gray Wolves are still an endangered species, Fish and Wildlife is the lead agency on this matter.

The confirmation was made through photographs, tracks and bite marks. After the first attack, wildlife officials placed cameras at the ranch and at least one of the images shows two wolves. The photos have been sent to experts around the country who’ve identified the predators as Gray Wolves.

Now officials are focused on preventing further depredation at the ranch. ODFW says the ranch owner has been very cooperative and took all the right steps to prevent wolf depredation.

Feds Confirm Wolf Attack On Sheep Ranch Near Baker City

April 15, 2009
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife confirms that a wolf, or wolves, were the predators involved in the killing of nearly two dozen lambs at a ranch near Baker City, Oregon. We got the news this morning through Oregon Fish and Wildlife.

There’s very little else to tell you at the moment. Our conversation with the ODFW spokesperson was brief. Wolves fall under the management of U.S. Fish and Wildlife which is still trying to gather more information about what happened and an official announcement is expected later today.

What we know so far comes from two sources, an article published yesterday in the Baker City Herald and a press release from some environmental groups.

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ODFW Investigating Possible Wolf Kill Near Baker City

April 14, 2009
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It’s news that’s bound to send a chill through Oregon’s ranching community.

ODFW is investigating the deaths of 19 lambs on a ranch near Baker City as possible wolf kill. According to a story in the Baker City Herald, the attacks took place on two nights. The paper adds that other lambs and ewes are missing.

The story goes on to say that ODFW’s wolf expert Russ Morgan believes the tracks left by the predators are too big to be coyotes, and probably don’t belong to cougars either.

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