Welcome
to Wolf Watch! WOLF
NEWS | Cat's new Wolf
Book
Wyoming news reporter Cat Urbigkit lives in the
heart of wolf country, near Big Piney, Wyoming, a few hundred
miles south of Yellowstone National Park. As a news reporter,
rancher, researcher and Wyoming resident, she has followed
the wolf issue for many years and written many articles on
the topic, as well as an upcoming book on the history of
wolves in Wyoming.
The goal of this website is to present up-to-date, accurate
information about what is happening with wolves, focusing on wolves in the Rocky
Mountains, but referring to wolf happenings outside our region when there is
some local relevance. Rather than an agenda-driven advocacy site, this is the
place to be for the facts about wolves, with a strong focus on what’s happening
on the ground.
We invite those living in areas inhabited by wolves to contact
Cat with news tips, photographs, or other information. We also invite those who
want to support this endeavor to sign on as sponsors, and for our re aders to
support those sponsors.
Article
by Cat & Jim Urbigkit: Using
dogs to help protect livestock from predators (May,
2010)
2011 WOLF NEWS
2010
Wolf Watch Story Archive
2009 Wolf Watch Story Archive
2008
Wolf Watch Story Archive
2007/2006
Watch Wolf Story Archive
 5/24/12: Wyoming
wolf hunt harms Colorado wolf recovery?
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Colorado's Boulder Weekly has an
article pondering whether Wyoming's wolf hunting season could
kill Colorado's chances of getting a wolf pack of its own..... (Click on the link
above for the complete story.)
5/24/12: Wolf
kills calf in Washington
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) A Methow Valley, Washington rancher
may receive Washington state's first wolf compensation after
wildlife managers determined that wolves were responsible
for attacking one of his calves.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 5/24/12: Alaska
trapper scoffs at wolf buffer idea
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Alaska trapper who legally harvested
a wolf outside Denali National Park provides details of the
animal, and scoffs at the notion of a buffer zone outside
the park. “This buffer zone? It’s a nonissue.
It was never a biological issue; it was thrown out to appease
the ecological people, and they’re not going to be
happy until the buffer zone brushes up against Canada. I
mean, you’ve got 6 million acres [locked up in the
park]. How much is enough?” he said in an interview...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
5/24/12: Public
critical of Montana wolf hunt
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) There is plenty of
criticism of Montana's proposed fall wolf hunt, from both
sides of the aisle...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 5/24/12: Minnesota
outlines first wolf hunt
(By Minnesota
Department of Natural Resources) Minnesota’s
first regulated wolf hunting and trapping season will be
conducted this fall
and winter. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) is seeking public comment on details of the proposed
season. Consistent with state law, the state’s first
regulated wolf season will start with the beginning of firearms
deer hunting on Saturday, Nov. 3. The DNR is proposing to
split the season into two parts: an early wolf hunting season
coinciding with firearms deer hunting; and a late wolf hunting
and trapping season after the firearms deer season for those
with a specific interest in wolf hunting and trapping. A
total of 6,000 licenses will be offered, with 3,600 available
in the early season and 2,400 in the late season. The target
harvest quota will be 400 wolves for both seasons combined,
and will initially be allocated equally between the early
and the late seasons..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
5/22/12: Two
Denali wolves killed outside
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Two wolves known to inhabit Denali
National Park in Alaska have been legally harvested outside
the park. But the loss of two breeding females from some
of the most visible wolf packs in the world (sounds like
Yellowstone) has conservationists in an uproar, demanding
the establishment of a buffer zone outside the park...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
5/22/12: UP
overcrowded with wolves?
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Government officials killed eight
wolves in and around Ironwood, Michigan recently. Is the
presence of two wolf packs around town an indication that
the Upper Peninsula may be overcrowded with wolves?.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
5/22/12: Kill
order for 2 Idaho wolves
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) A wolf attack on a domestic sheep
herd left at least a dozen lambs as orphans in Idaho, and
federal officials are now on the hunt for two wolves...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
5/22/12: Utah
still searches for wolf pack
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) State wildlife officials are still
searching for a wolf pack in Utah. A biologist reports that
she believes a wolf did respond to the electronic howling
she broadcast in the Diamond Fork Canyon area..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
5/20/12: Wyoming
wolf killed in South Dakota
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) A reportedly 130-pound wolf believed
to have originated in Wyoming was recently found dead along
a road on the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
5/11/12: Second
Jackson Hole wolf killed
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) A second wolf has been killed by
federal wildlife officials because it had become habituated
to humans and human development..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 5/11/12: Wolf
photographed in California
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Oregon wolf that has traveled
to California only to return to Oregon, is now back in California
and has been photographed there. The three-year old male
wolf was apparently in the company of three coyotes, according
to news accounts..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
5/7/12: Montana
proposes major wolf hunt overhaul
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Montana may allow wolf trapping,
allow each hunter to take up to three wolves, eliminate hunt
area quotas, and other measures in order to lower the number
of wolves in the state's population..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
5/6/12: Alaska
wolf travels 2,100 miles
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Alaska wildlife officials were able
to track a wolf for 2,100 miles before finding the animal
dead of starvation..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
5/4/12: Alaska
holds off on wolf kill
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Alaska wildlife officials have
agreed to try to find another way to boost the Kenai moose
population, implementing a one-year delay on its proposal
to bump up the wolf kill in the area.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 5/4/12: Oregon
wolves killing sheep
(By Oregon Department
of Fish & Game) A
May 2 investigation by ODFW confirmed that four penned sheep
(two ewes, two lambs) were killed
by a wolf on private land east of Weston, Ore. in northern
Umatilla County.
One additional lamb is missing and believed to have been
killed by the wolf. The incident occurred in an area not
known to be frequented by one of Oregon’s known wolf
packs (Imnaha, Wenaha, Walla Walla, Snake River) but by two
wolves discovered last August in the northern Mt Emily wildlife
management unit. Based on evidence at the scene, wildlife
biologists believe a single wolf was involved in the depredation..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
5/1/12: Utah
still searching for wolf pack
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Wildlife officials in Utah are still
searching for what may be a pack of wolves in the northern
portion of the state. Animals have been returning the howls
broadcast by a biologist.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 5/1/12: Confirmed
calf kill in Sublette County
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Sublette Examiner reports that
state wildlife officials have confirmed that a dead calf
in the Hoback Basin is a wolf kill...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 5/1/12: Wyoming
wolf regulations passed
(By US Fish and
Wildlife Service) Following the recent approval of
four documents that clarify Wyoming’s approach to wolf
management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reopening
the comment period on May 1 regarding the proposal to remove
the gray wolf population in Wyoming from the Federal List
of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. If this proposal is
finalized, the gray wolf would be delisted in Wyoming under
the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the nonessential experimental
population designation would be removed, and future management
for this species would be conducted by the appropriate State,
Tribal, or Federal wildlife managers..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
4/29/12: Wyoming
wolf regulations passed
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission
has approved regulations for a proposed fall 2012 wolf hunting
season. Wolves remain under federal protection at this time,
and federal officials are expected to issue a decision about
delisting wolves in the state later this year.... (Click on the
link above for the complete story.)
4/24/12: Wolf
poachers get probation
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Three members of a family involved
in the killing of two wolves from the first wolf pack present
in Washington state in decades have been convicted. They
pleaded guilty to a variety of charges in a deal with federal
prosecutors and will none will receive jail time. Hefty fines,
ranging from $5,000 to $38,500, are part of the deal..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
4/24/12: Wolf
killed in western Germany
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The first wolf sighted in western
Germany in 123 years, according to news accounts, has been
found dead, apparently shot. The 66-pound male wolf was found
by hikers..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 4/24/12: Wisconsin
depredation payment woes
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Wisconsin's wolf depredation oversight
is shifting to the state Department of Natural Resources,
and those impacted by wolf depredations may not be happy
with the change. Payments for wolf depredations may only
occur once a year, and may be pro-rated, so producers may
not be fully compensated for their losses after all..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 4/24/12: Wolf
population threatens northern Russia
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The wolf population in northern
Russia's Yakutia region exceeds 4,000 animals, and these
wolves are endangering the livelihoods of local people due
to depredations on livestock herds..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 4/24/12: One
Jackson Hole wolf killed
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) One of the wolves known to be roaming
Jackson Hole subdivisions has been killed by federal officials.
An adult female wolf was euthanized by wildlife officials
because of its apparent lack of fear of humans..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
4/14/12: Wisconsin
plans fall wolf hunt
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Wisconsin plans to host a wolf hunting
season this fall, the first for a state east of the Mississippi
River for decades....... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
4/14/12: Support
waning for Mexican wolf program
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) More stakeholders are leaving the
table, indicating that support for the Mexican wolf recovery
program
continues to wane. According to the Associated Press: "The
exodus started last summer with the New Mexico Game and Fish
Department. In late March, Grant and Sierra counties abandoned
the agreement, and the New Mexico Department of Agriculture
joined them earlier this week." Now the New Mexico Cattle
Grower's Association has abandoned the process as well...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 4/14/12: Biologists
advocate wolf reintroduction for Isle Royale
(By International
Wolf Center) Wolf populations on Isle Royale are the
lowest since monitoring began in the late 1950s. This troubles
some researchers who are concerned about the future of wolves
on the island and feel humans need to intervene and introduce
more wolves to keep them as a part of that ecosystem..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
4/14/12: Reward
of up to $57K for info on wolf shooting
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) A single gunshot wound killed a
Mexican gray wolf in southeastern Arizona in March, and now
the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction
of the responsible person totals $57,000.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
4/14/12: Wolf
killed in New Brunswick
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) A hunter shot and killed an 86-poound
wolf in New Brunswick recently, the first such confirmed
event since 1876.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
4/5/12: Wolves
bountied in Armenia
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) A severe cold snap in Armenia has
resulted in wolves coming into villages, preying on livestock
and becoming bold near humans. In response, government officials
offered a bounty on wolves, and according to a recent report
in the Armenian Weekly, about 170 wolves have now been killed.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
4/4/12: Oregon
grants $82K in wolf impact funds
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Oregon officials have approved grant
funding for livestock producers impacted by wolves in eight
counties, with a total of about $82,000..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
4/4/12: Wyoming
wolf meetings to be internet broadcast
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Wyoming Game and Fish Department
is partnering with the Wyoming Distance Learning Center to
broadcast, via the internet, 3 public wolf regulation meetings
in April. The meetings are designed to provide information
and gather public comments on the department's draft revised
wolf management and wolf hunting regulations, which are currently
open for public comment. Meetings will be held in Pinedale
on April 9th, Jackson on April 10th, and Lander on April
11th...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/27/12: Vancouver
Island wolf attacks prompt warnings
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Residents on Vancouver Island are
being warned to keep a close watch over their children and
pets after two dogs were killed by wolves...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 3/27/12: Idaho
hikes wolf bag limits
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) In a move aimed at reducing the
wolf population, Idaho wildlife officials have agreed to
boost bag limits, and expand trapping and hunting seasons..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 3/27/12: Washington
has five wolf packs
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Washington state now has five wolf
packs..... (Click on the
link above for the complete story.)
3/24/12: Wolf
hunt regs proposed, meetings set
(By Wyoming Game & Fish
Department) The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has
drafted new regulations covering wolf management and wolf
hunting. Promulgating regulations is the next step towards
getting wolves in Wyoming removed from the federal list of
threatened and endangered species in Wyoming. Wyoming Governor
Matt Mead and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar reached an agreement
to move forward with delisting. Under
the agreement, Wyoming will maintain at least 100 wolves
and 10 breeding pairs outside of Yellowstone National Park
and the Wind River Reservation. The current Trophy Game Management
Area in northwest Wyoming will extend about 50 miles to the
south from its current location near the Wyoming/Idaho border.
Wolves in this seasonal expansion area will be managed as
trophy game from Oct. 15 to the last day of February. During
the rest of the year, wolves in this seasonal expansion area
will be designated as predators. The Wyoming Game and Fish
Commission will consider the proposed regulations governing
gray wolf management and gray wolf hunting in Wyoming at
its April 25-26 meeting in Casper. The draft regulations
will be presented at a series of public meetings around the
state during March and April. .... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/21/12: Wolf
killed in China after human attacks
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) A wolf has been killed in China
after seven attacks on humans. Government
officials are not sure that the animal that was killed is
the one responsible for
the attacks. A photo is included with the story from China
Daily.
.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/21/12: Utah
swamped with wolf/coyote calls
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Utah wildlife officials have been
swamped with reports of possible wolf sightings, with some
of those sightings attributed to coyotes. Regardless of the
coyote reports, video camera surveillance and tracks prove
that a large canine that appears to be a wolf was recently
documented in Utah..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 3/21/12: Wolves
kill four dogs in Teton County
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Wolves killed four dogs in Teton
County during the month of March, according to a news account
in the Jackson Hole News & Guide...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/21/12: Elk
foundation offers money to kill wolves
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
is offering to kick in $50,000 for Montana wildlife officials
to undertake a more aggressive wolf control program...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/17/12: Jackson
wolves attack dog
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The wolves roaming in Jackson Hole – already
slated for removal because of their habituation to humans – have
attacked and severely injured a dog, according to news reports...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/17/12: Isle
Royale wolves may go extinct
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) America's longest-running study
on wolves may soon end. With only nine wolves left on the
island, wolf biologists
confirm this severely inbred and isolated population may
soon become extinct...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/17/12: Court
upholds wolf delisting
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) A federal court has upheld the congressional
action that resulted in wolves being delisted in Montana
and Idaho, and protects that action from litigation by wolf
advocates..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/15/12: Wolf
killed in South Dakota
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The animal shot in South Dakota
six weeks ago has been confirmed to have been a wolf. State
officials now suggest the wolf probably originated in the
Great Lakes region..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 3/15/12: German
wolves dine on deer
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Wolf researchers in Germany report
that wolves that have resettled that country are mostly dining
on deer, with domestic livestock found in only a fraction
of samples collected...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/12/12: Wyoming
wolf hunt regs proposed
(By Wyoming Game & Fish
Department) The Wyoming Game and Fish Department
has drafted new regulations covering wolf management and
wolf hunting. Promulgating regulations is the next step towards
getting wolves in Wyoming removed from the federal list of
threatened and endangered species in Wyoming. Last August,
Wyoming Governor Matt Mead and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar
reached an agreement to move forward with delisting. Under
the agreement, Wyoming will maintain at least 100 wolves
and 10 breeding pairs outside of Yellowstone National Park
and the Wind River Reservation..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/12/12: WA
launches wolf report website
(By Washington
Department of Fish & Wildlife) The Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) now has an online
reporting system for receiving information from the public
about the state’s growing wolf population. Anyone who
believes they have seen a wolf, heard one howl, or found
other evidence of wolves anywhere in the state is encouraged
to file a report on WDFW’s website. The information
provided in the reports will help wildlife managers document
wolf activity and build a database on wolves in Washington.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/12/12: Utah
team searches for wolf pack
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Federal and state officials continue
the search for a pack of wolves, or wolf hybrids, outside
Springville, Utah.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 3/12/12: Wyoming
wolf count: At least 230
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
annual wolf monitoring report has been released, and here’s
a summary of information about Wyoming’s wolf population.
From 2009 through 2011, the 3-year mean wolf population size
in Wyoming (WY=outside Yellowstone National Park) was 233
(SD = 11.4; range = 224- 246). In 2011, the WY wolf population
was >230 wolves in >38 packs including >19 breeding
pairs which represented a slight decline in the total number
of wolves from 2010 (246); however, the population remained
at the 3-year average. At least 15 lone wolves were identified
and located throughout the western portion of the state.
Average pack size was 6.1 wolves per pack and average litter
size was 3.6 pups per litter as of 31 December 2011. There
were documented 51 mortalities (18% of the population). Causes
of mortality included: agency control = 36; under investigation
or unknown = 6; human caused = 6; and natural = 3...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/12/12: Rockies
wolf population: 1,774 minimum
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
has released its annual report for wolf recovery in the Northern
Rocky Mountain Distinct Population Segment (NRM DPS) for
2011. That report notes: As of December 31, 2011, the minimum
estimated gray wolf population within the NRM DPS was composed
of at least 1,774 wolves in 287 packs (groups of two or more
wolves with territories inside the NRM DPS that persisted
until December 31, 2011. At least 109 packs met the definition
of a breeding pair (packs that contained at least one adult
male, one adult female, and two or more pups on December
31, 2011). At the end of 2011, there was a minimum of 431
wolves in the Northwest Montana Recovery Area (NWMT), 499
in the Greater Yellowstone Recovery Area (GYA), and 797 in
the Central Idaho Recovery Area. .... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/7/12: Utah
wolf pack?
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) It appears Utah may have its first
official wolf pack. The pack of four large canines were seen
in eastern Utah County, east of Springville. .... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
3/6/12: Wolf
leaves California
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The wolf that wandered into California
and made the headlines in doing so, has once again left the
state and is back in Oregon...... (Click on the
link above for the complete story.) 3/6/12: Wolf
deal passes WY legislature
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Wyoming Legislature has approved
legislation aimed at getting wolves
removed from federal protections..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/29/12: Kalispell
residents aren't keen on wolf at school
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Having a wolf video-taped on the
grounds at the middle school doesn't sit well with residents
of Kalispell, Montana..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 2/29/12: Idaho
senator withdraws wolf bill
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Idaho state senator Jeff Siddoway
has withdrawn his proposed bill that would expand the methods
in which wolves could be legally killed in that state, citing
fears that if enacted, the legislation could enable wolves
to fall back under federal protection.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.) 2/29/12: Jackson
residents struggle with wolf fate
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Jackson Hole News & Guide
has posted a follow-up article on responses to the federal
decision to kill three or four human-habituated wolves in
a residential subdivision.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/28/12: Jackson
wolves to be killed
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Jackson Hole media outlets are reporting
that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will kill the three
or four wolves that are hanging out in a residential area,
near homes, people, and pets. These habituated wolves pose
a threat to human safety, so will be killed.... (Click on
the link above for the complete story.)
2/26/12: Wolves
filmed in Jackson residential yards
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The town limits of Jackson Hole
appear to hold some attraction for wolves. There have been
numerous reports and photos of wolves within town subdivisions
in the last few months, and now resident James Peck video-taped
two wolves as they roamed through his yard. JH Underground
posted the video... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/26/12: Kalispell
has wolf visitor as well
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) It's not just Jackson Hole that
is having wolves visit inside town limits. The Missoulian
reports that a wolf was recently video taped inside the
city of Kalispell by a police officer using his dashboard
camera.... (Click on the link
above for the complete story.)
2/26/12: Wyoming
wolf population up
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
issued an update on wolves in the Northern Rockies and
surrounding regions. Updates are for Wyoming, Idaho, Utah,
Montana, Washington, and Yellowstone and Grand Teton National
Parks. The update gives the latest statistics on pack numbers
and livestock depredations. Over 300 wolves, with more
than 48 packs, are reported in Wyoming.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/26/12: Wyoming
senate pulls money from wolf bill
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Casper Star-Tribune reports
that the Wyoming Senate has pulled $200,000 of funds that
were slated to go to the Wyoming Animal Management Board
for wolf control in the predator zone of state. .... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/26/12: Idaho:
$1.2M on wolves in 2011
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Idaho wildlife officials report
that wolf-related expenditures in FY2010 totaled more than
$1.7 million, and in FY2011, more than $1.2 million. They
set Idaho’s second wolf hunting season for fall 2011
and winter 2012 and the first regulated public wolf trapping
season in the lower 48 states. Idaho sold more than 31,600
wolf hunting tags and 200 wolf trapping tags (as of December
2011) for the season...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/26/12: Fourteen
Idaho wolves killed in control actions
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Fourteen wolves have been killed
in Idaho this month under a plan to reduce the wolf population
in the Lolo zone, where the local elk herd is suffering.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/26/12: Oregon
watches Idaho wolf experience
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Oregon officials are watching
the impact wolves have had on elk populations in Idaho.
Richard Cockle of The Oregonian has written an interesting
article about it..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/26/12: Wolves
in Mexico poisoned
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Four of the five Mexican gray
wolves recently reintroduced to a mountain range just south
of the U.S./Mexico border have been found dead from poisoning.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/21/12: Idaho
wolf had parvo
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) On January 22, a Hailey, Idaho
area homeowner killed a wolf that had been observed near
his house for at least two days and was acting sick or
injured. Immediately after killing the wolf, the homeowner
notified Idaho Fish and Game. Two Fish and Game officers
arrived and retrieved the dead wolf, a juvenile female.
The animal was emaciated and had green fluid diarrhea.
Fish and Game wildlife veterinarian Mark Drew preformed
a standard necropsy, including submitting tissue samples
to test for rabies as well as parvovirus - a common canine
virus. Test results were negative for rabies. On February
14, lab reports came back positive for parvo, which causes
vomiting and diarrhea, and ultimately death from dehydration.
Parvovirus is highly contagious, and is often fatal in
canids, including wolves. Pups between six weeks and six
months are more susceptible than adults. Domestic dogs
can be vaccinated against parvovirus..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/19/12: Wyoming
advances wolf bill
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Associated Press reports that
a Wyoming legislative panel has advanced a bill that is
aimed at having the state gain control of wolf management.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/19/12: Saving
California wolves new revenue source
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Since California now has one documented
wolf, environmental groups are seizing the event as a revenue-generating
opportunity. An email news alert went out from the Center
for Biological Diversity, urging people to "Help Save
California's Wolves," by donating to the CBD. The
one-sentence plea to send money to save California wolves
was repeated four times in a 400-word letter..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/19/12: Montana
wolf hunt ends below quota
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Montana's wolf hunting season
has ended, with 166 wolves harvested, well below the quota
of 220 set by state wildlife officials..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/19/12: Of
wolf packs and ravens
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Juneau Empire has posted an
essay examining the impact of success of a hunting wolf
pack, and the wolf's relationship with the raven.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/19/12: Oregon
legislation targets two wolves
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) It may take legislative action
to enable the killing of two livestock-killing wolves in
Oregon. That's why the Oregon House passed a bill allowing
the action, after a court blocked the killing of the wolves,
citing state protections for endangered species..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/19/12: Yellowstone
wolf encounter essay
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) A woman from Ontario, Canada traveled
to Yellowstone National Park in winter to learn about wolves.
Her essay was printed in a newspaper in Canada..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/13/12: Montana
wolf hunt winds down
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Despite extending the season,
the Montana wolf hunt is winding down with harvest less
than state officials had hoped, according to the Daily
Inter Lake...... (Click on
the link above for the complete story.)
2/10/12: Idaho
proposes more wolf harvest freedom
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) An Idaho legislator is proposing
changes to state statute to allow the use of ultralight
aircraft and using live bait to kill wolves...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/10/12: Utah
targets wolf hunting
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) A Utah senator is proposing legislation
that would provide for wolf hunting in the state, while
admitting that "technically, there are none" in
the state..... (Click on the
link above for the complete story.)
2/6/12: Oregon
prepares to deal with wolf depredations
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) State grant money will be used
to compensate livestock producers in Oregon for losses
from wold depredations. The statewide compensation fund
totals $100,000, and local committees are being formed
to oversee claims...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/6/12: Arizona
wolf numbers up
(By Arizona
Game & Fish Department ) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (FWS), Arizona Game and Fish Department and other
partners in the Mexican Wolf Reintroduction Project announced
earlier on February 4th that the endangered Mexican wolf
population count increased to a minimum of 58 wolves compared
to last year’s count of 50...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/6/12: Wolf
killed near Custer, SD
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Federal officials are investigating
the killing of a wolf near Custer, South Dakota, according
to the Rapid City Journal..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/2/12: Contrasting
wolf status in North Dakota
(By North Dakota
Game & Fish Department) A pack of wolves attacked
local residents in a town in the Karelia region Russia.
This area is in the northwestern region of Russia, near
the border with Finland. When police responded to a report
of a man attacked by wolves on a town street, they found
several wolves waiting outside the doors to an apartment
building. Two of the animals were shot when they attacked
the officers. This region of Russia has been experiencing
extremely cold temperatures in recent weeks..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2/2/12: Wolf
pack attacks town residents in Russia
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) A pack of wolves attacked local
residents in a town in the Karelia region Russia. This
area is in the northwestern region of Russia, near the
border with Finland. When police responded to a report
of a man attacked by wolves on a town street, they found
several wolves waiting outside the doors to an apartment
building. Two of the animals were shot when they attacked
the officers. This region of Russia has been experiencing
extremely cold temperatures in recent weeks..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/31/12: Montana
to study wolf mortality impacts
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The University of Montana will
soon study how wolf deaths affect pack stability and population
growth, according to the Missoulian. The research will
focus on wolves in Yellowstone National Park, northern
Idaho, and in Alberta..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/31/12: Wolves
in Germany
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Wolves in Germany appear to be
making a comeback, with their preferred prey being wild
boar..... (Click on the link
above for the complete story.)
1/31/12: Hunting
wolves can be difficult
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) As Minnesota prepare for the possibility
of offering wolf hunting this fall, the Grand Forks Herald
talks to hunters who have pursued wolves in Canada, and
learned that a successful hunt can be difficult...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/31/12: Dealing
with habituated Mexican wolves
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Wolf populations in the Great
Lakes region of the Upper Midwest are now officially delisted.
The Times Union reports what people in Michigan think of
the delisting..... (Click on
the link above for the complete story.)
1/31/12: Great
Lakes wolf update
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Wolf populations in the Great
Lakes region of the Upper Midwest are now officially delisted.
The Times Union reports what people in Michigan think of
the delisting..... (Click on
the link above for the complete story.)
1/31/12: 'The
Grey' slammed by wolf advocates
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The LA Times reports that wolf
advocates and animal rights advocates are outraged about
the new movie "The Grey" for its portrayal of
wolves. The survival thriller movie that recently premiered
features plane crash survivors (oil rig workers!) who must
survive a pack of wolves. Peta for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals (PETA) and other animals rights groups are calling
for a boycott of the movie..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/27/12: Wyoming
wolf bill filed
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Draft legislation has been filed
in the Wyoming Legislature that, if successful, will make
changes to statute to comply with the deal struck between
federal wildlife officials and Governor Matt Mead that
will result in the delisting of wolves in the state. The
bill is Senate File 41..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/27/12: Wolves
a tool to cull elk herds
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) During a public comment process
for a federal agency plan, someone suggested wolves be
used as a tool to control elk herds on a national wildlife
refuge in southern Colorado. Now the federal agency must
examine that option. The Pueblo Chieftain reports that
managers will consider the possibility of using wolves
to cull elk herds on the Baca National Wildlife Refuge
as it moves through the planning process.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/25/12: Wolf
attack in Tajikistan
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Media reports indicate at least
six people have been attacked by wolves in Tajikistan in
recent weeks. Heavy snowfall has forced wolves from the
high country into local villages, where both livestock
and humans have been attacked.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/25/12: Howling
over wolf plan
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Jackson Hole Weekly has reviewed
some of the comments submitted on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service proposal to delist wolves in Wyoming, and found
much concern over the allowance for "predator" status
in part of the state.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/19/12: Feds
won't enforce Alaska wolf decision
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Federal officials at Kenai National
Wildlife Refuge won't allow wolf control within the refuge.
That's in conflict with the state's goal of knocking back
the wolf population..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/19/12: Feds
consider parkway wolf hunt
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Jackson Hole News & Guide
reports that federal officials may consider allowing wolf
hunting within the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/15/12: Mead
backs off wolf comments
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The Jackson Hole News and Guide
reports that Wyoming Governor Matt Mead backed away from
earlier comments that the Wyoming wolf plan may allow wolf
hunting in Grand Teton National Park.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/12/12: Wolves
in Jackson subdivision
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) A pack of wolves ventured into
a Jackson Hole subdivision in early January, possibly signaling
a spread south from Yellowstone and Grand Teton National
Parks..... (Click on the link
above for the complete story.)
1/12/12: Changes
proposed to Wyoming wolf plan
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Wyoming's wolf management plan
provides that wolves will be managed as trophy game animals
in northwestern Wyoming, including Grand Teton National
Park, the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, and
the National Elk Refuge. The fact that this means state
officials could allow for hunting within these areas is
of concern to certain officials, and now a state legislator
says the plan must be changed.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/12/12: California
launches website for one wolf
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) California officials have launched
an official gray wolf webpage in response to the documentation
that a wolf wandered into the state from Oregon..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/12/12: California
deals with wolf worries
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) California wildlife officials
are meeting with county officials in one region of that
state where a gray wolf was confirmed to have taken up
residence after roaming into the state from Oregon. The
meetings allow the state to provide information about the
wolf's movements, and to discuss state options for management..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/12/12: Montana
may extend wolf season, again
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Montana wildlife officials may
extend the wolf hunting season for the West Fork of the
Bitterroot, since only 3 of the 18-wolf quota have been
taken so far..... (Click on
the link above for the complete story.)
1/12/12: Wolf
protests, vigil, in Idaho
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Wolf advocates, and those opposed
to the damage done by the species, held demonstrations
in northern Idaho recently. While one group held a "full
moon vigil to remember wolves killed by hunters," another
group, dressed in hunting camo and carrying anti-wolf signs,
also holds a gathering.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/10/12: Yellowstone
wolf pack wanders
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Lack of snow in Yellowstone National
Park has enabled the Mollie's wolf pack to migrated more
than 20 miles into Yellowstone's Lamar Valley, invading
the turf of the resident pack there â€" the
Agate Creek pack. The Mollie's pack was on the move earlier
in the winter, intruding upon the Mary Mountain pack territory,
and killing its alpha male..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/6/12: Northern
Rockies wolf update
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
reports updates on wolves in the Northern Rockies. Livestock
conflicts in Wyoming: In 2011, wolves killed > 66 livestock
(36 cattle and 30 sheep) in Wyoming. Two packs [Green River
(15 cattle) and Dog Creek (17 sheep) and 1 wolf in the
Big Horn Mountains (10 sheep) were responsible for 42 depredations
(64% of the total number of depredations). Fifteen packs
(41% of WY packs in 2011) were involved in > 1 depredation;
8 packs (22%) were involved in > 2 depredations; and
6 packs (16%) were involved in > 3 depredations in 2011...... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/6/12: Scientist
takes issue with WY wolf plan
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) One of five scientists reviewing
Wyoming's wolf plan, at the request of the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, is critical of the plan. Read an article
that summarizes the reviewer's comments, or read the views
of all five reviewers..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/5/12: Tribal
view of wolf recovery
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) “One
is an act of man the other is an act of wolf," - that's
the words of a tribal representative in Oregon, talking
about wolves expanding their range into tribal territory
naturally, or through reintroduction. The Wallowa Chieftain
has printed an interesting article about the views of the
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation's
policies for wolf management.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/5/12: Montana
wolf hunt protecting Yellowstone wolves
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Yellowstone
National Park officials have noted that changes to Montana's
wolf hunting seasons has resulted in further protection
for wolves in the area near the park.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/4/12: Minnesota
looks at wolf hunt specifics
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) Minnesota
wildlife officials are looking at how to structure the
state's first wolf hunting and trapping seasons in decades.
The Star-Tribune has an article with tips on effective
hunting methods..... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
1/4/12: Wolf
documented in California
(By Cat Urbigkit,
Pinedale Online!) A
lone, radio-collared wolf has been documented crossing
from Oregon into California, giving the state its first
confirmed wolf presence in decades.... (Click
on the link above for the complete story.)
2011
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