Wyoming wolf update
by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
October 13, 2009
Wyoming Gray Wolf Recovery Status Report
From: USFWS Wyoming Wolf Recovery Project Leader, Jackson, WY
Subject: Status of Gray Wolf Management in Wyoming and the NRM
WYOMING WOLF WEEKLY- Oct 5 through Oct 9, 2009
Delisting Litigation Status
A hearing of the preliminary injunction request was held in Federal Court in Missoula, MT on August 31. Oral arguments were heard from the plaintiffs, U.S. Department of Interior, Montana, and Idaho. On September 8, the Federal Court denied the preliminary injunction motion filed by Defenders of Wildlife and others to stop the 2009 regulated gray wolf hunts in Idaho and Montana. However, in issuing his order, the judge indicated that his preliminary review of the overall delisting case raised questions about Service’s approach of conferring ESA protections to a "significant portion of the range" of a species, as opposed to designating the entire species as a threatened or endangered species. The Service will carefully evaluate the court’s order and confer with the Department of the Interior and the Department of Justice to determine any appropriate next steps.
Monitoring
Idaho: Wolf hunting season is open in parts of Idaho with a statewide quota of 220 wolves. The IDFG website that summarizes wolf hunting in Idaho can be viewed at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/hunt/wolf/quota.cfm
Montana: Wolf hunting season opened in parts of Montana on September 15 with a total quota of 75 wolves. FWP’s website that tracks wolf hunting in Montana can be viewed at fwp.mt.gov/hunting/planahunt/wolfStatus.html.
Control
On 10/3/09, WY Wildlife Services confirmed a calf killed by wolves in the Upper Green River drainage. The USFWS requested Wildlife Services to remove 3 wolves form the Green River Pack.
On 10/6/09, ongoing control actions were completed in the Big Horn Mountains when WY Wildlife Services killed a radio-collared adult male wolf. It had been collared in 2007 in the Mill Creek pack and apparently dispersed that July. Despite searches for missing collars it was not re-discovered until killed in the Big Horn Mt. control action. The wolf had recently killed sheep in the immediate vicinity. This wolf, along with another adult male wolf, had been responsible for killing >98 sheep in the Big Horn Mountains since June 2009. The black wolf was seen by a sheep herder who promptly reported the location to Wildlife Services.
On the 9th, Jimenez met with some sheep producers in west-central Wyoming that are trying various breeds large sheep guard dogs that might be able to successfully fight-off wolves. The producers run sheep in areas where wolf packs are unlikely to persist but where lone wolves and pairs often attempt to recolonize. In this situation lone dogs maybe an effective deterrent to wolf depredation.
Research
Nothing to report at this time.
Law Enforcement and Related Activities
Nothing to report at this time.
Further Information
To request an investigation of livestock injured or killed by wolves, please contact the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Wildlife Services at (307)261-5336.
For additional information, please contact:
Ed Bangs (406)449-5225 x204 or Ed_Bangs@FWS.GOV
Mike Jimenez (307)733-7096 or (307)330-5631 or Mike_Jimenez@FWS.GOV
|
