U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Jan 2012

Wolf Recovery in Oregon

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

The Northern Rocky Mts. Recovery Program

• 1980: Recovery Plan is published

– 3 Recovery Areas

– Recovery Criteria: 10+ breeding pairs in

each area for 3 consecutive years

• 1994: Release of EIS for Reintroduction

– Revised Recovery Criteria: 30+ breeding

pairs & 300+ wolves across the 3 areas,

with genetic interchange between areas.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Reintroduction to Central Idaho & Yellowstone NP • Jan 1995: Wolves released

– 15 in Central Idaho

– 14 in Yellowstone NP

• Jan 1996: 2nd release – 20 more in Central Idaho

– 17 more in Yellowstone NP

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

The Northern Rockies Population Grows…

1999

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

• 2-yr old female found near

Baker City, OR in Feb 1999

• Kept heading west into the

Middle Fk, John Day R. Basin

• Caught Oregon by surprise!

In 1999, A Wolf Comes to Oregon!

She was captured & returned to Idaho on March 26, 1999, where she raised pups & survived for many years in the McCall area. Her skeleton was found in a meadow in Oct. 2006.

B45

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Other Early OR Explorers

• In 2000, a year after B45, two other Idaho wolves

were found in Oregon. Unfortunately, both were

found dead, one shot and one hit by a car on I-84.

B45

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

A Period of Few Wolves,

& Productive Planning

2001-2005: 0 confirmed wolves

2004/2005: ODFW develops & approves a

Wolf Management Plan for Oregon

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

The Northern Rockies Population Takes Off…

2005

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

1,513 wolves at end of 2007

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Feb. 2007: 1st Proposed Rule

Mar. 2008: Goes into effect DELISTED

July 2008: Injunction on rule LISTED AGAIN

To be continued…

NRM DPS Distinct Population Segment

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

2006 - Black Wolf Caught on Video,

Becomes TV Celebrity

• July 2006 on Zumwalt Prairie, Wallowa County

• This wolf was seen several times that summer & then disappeared.

• Same area later occupied by the Imnaha Pack

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

2007/08 – Discovering Oregon’s 1st Pack!

May 2007: Mushroom pickers found a dead wolf. A female

wolf, originally from Idaho, had been illegally shot.

Winter 2007/08: Wolf tracks found during snow surveys.

July 2008: Adults & pups heard howling!

Remained unseen until Aug. 2010 when one was finally

captured & radio-collared!

Wenaha Pack

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

B300 • In Jan. 2008, this 2-yr old collared wolf from Idaho shows up in

the Wallowa Mts.

• Her radio-collar died in the Fall of 2008.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

The Honeymoon Ends in Keating Valley

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

2009 Keating Valley Incident

Apr. 13: Photos confirm 2 wolves killed 23 lambs.

Apr. 16: Fladry fencing is put up around several pastures to protect

livestock from further attacks.

May 3: A young male wolf, OR1, is captured & radio-collared.

May 4: Wolves are federally delisted in this part of Oregon.

May-Aug: ODFW repeatedly hazes the wolves away from the valley.

Aug 26-27: Wolves return to same ranch; kill a goat & 3 lambs.

Sep 3: Kill order is issued by ODFW and the 2 wolves are removed.

OR1

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

B300 becomes OR2 & founder of

the Imnaha Pack

July 2009: B300 is recaptured by ODFW and fitted with a new radio-

collar. She weighed 77 lbs and it was evident that she’d had pups

earlier in the year.

OR2

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Nov. 2009: Video footage shows 10 wolves trailing through the snow.

Feb. 2010: Three more Imnaha wolves are radio-collared, including the

alpha male (OR4).

Rise of the Imnaha Pack

OR3

OR4 OR5

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Imnaha Pack – 2010

May 2010: Five confirmed livestock depredations occur in short

succession between May 5th & the 31st. All are on private ranchlands and

all are cow calves.

June 2010: After a 6th confirmed depredation, and extensive efforts to

control the problem with non-lethal techniques, a kill order is issued to

remove two wolves. Wildlife Services is unsuccessful in its wolf removal

efforts as the pack moves back up into the forest.

July 2010: Four new pups observed.

Dec 2010: 15 wolves counted in aerial survey!

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Efforts to Protect Livestock

• Regular updates to ranchers on locations of collared wolves.

• Clean up of old bone piles & carcasses that attract wolves.

• Hazing with aircraft and cracker shells

• Electrified Fladry Fencing

• Radio-activated noise boxes

• Range Rider Program

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Chronic Depredation

• Sometimes non-lethal control techniques don’t solve the problem.

• Selective lethal control has been proven to reduce depredations &

resolve problems while not significantly slowing wolf recovery.

• Lethal control is controversial and often triggers legal challenges.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Wenaha Pack

Aug 2010: 2-yr old male (OR6) is radio collared

Sep 2010: OR6 found dead; illegally shot

• Pack has remained small (4 to 6 individuals)

• No livestock depredation problems!!

• Two pups in 2010; At least 1 in 2011

The Low Profile Pack

OR6 2010 pup

2011 pup

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Wenaha

Imnaha

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Wallowa Valley

“Wolf Highway”

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Imnaha Pack – 2011

Feb.: Three more wolves radio-collared (OR7, OR8, OR9). OR8 died

several days after capture.

Mar./Apr.: Extensive efforts undertaken during calving season to prevent

livestock loss.

Late-Apr/May: Depredations resume after turnout to larger pastures.

May: ODFW removes two subadult wolves after repeated livestock losses.

Sep.: Pack shrinks to 4 or 5 members as OR3, OR5, OR7, OR9 disperse.

Only one pup seen with pack.

Sep/Oct.: Several more depredations. ODFW announces plan to remove

2 more wolves, but is challenged in court & an injunction is granted.

Dec.: 5 more depredations have occurred since the injunction was

granted on Oct. 5th.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

An Example of the Fallout

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

OR7’s

Famous

Journey

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

From the British Tabloid, The Daily Mail

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Other

Westward

Wanderers

Santiam Pass, Jan. 2009

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

OR3

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Jul-Aug

May

Sep. 30

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Pack #3: Walla Walla

• Tracks 1st observed in Jan. 2011

• Trail cam photos in Aug/Sep 2011

• Two pups collared in Oct. 2011

OR10

OR11

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Pack #4: Snake River

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Feb. 2007: 1st Proposed Rule

Mar. 2008: Goes into effect DELISTED

July 2008: Injunction on rule LISTED AGAIN

May 2009: Rule reissued DELISTED

Aug. 2010: Court invalidates rule LISTED AGAIN

May 2011: Rule reinstated by Congress DELISTED

NRM DPS Continued…

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

NRM DPS Wolf Population spills into OR & WA

2010

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Hwy 395 - The DPS Boundary

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Known Wolf Packs in Washington

Northern Rocky

Mountain DPS

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

New Teanaway Pack in Central Washington Cascades

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

STATUS REVIEW

Wolves in the Pacific Northwest

• Initiated in May 2011

• Assess biological status of wolves in region

• Assess conservation potential in region

• Due for release by end of February 2012

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Pacific Northwest Wolf Habitat Models

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Key Needs for the Future

• Ability to Manage Problem Situations

• Realistic Recovery Criteria o PNW can’t support an NRM-size Population

• Compensation Program for Livestock Depredations

• More Cooperation & Tolerance, Less Vitriol & Litigation

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Depredation Compensation

• Defenders of Wildlife no longer has comp. program

• Oregon recently approved a program under the Dept. of

Agriculture. It is just getting started & requires county

participation.

• Washington’s Wolf Plan also includes a compensation

program.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Thank You

John Stephenson

U.S Fish and Wildlife Service

541 312-6429

john_stephenson@fws.gov

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service