Defenders of Wildlife Blog

Suzanne Stone, Northern Rockies Representative

OR-14, a wolf from the Umatilla River pack. (c) ODFW

In 1999, a female wolf from Idaho crossed over into central Oregon before the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tracked her down, darted her, caged her and then returned her to Idaho. She was the first known wolf to return to Oregon since the mid-1930s, when the species was officially eradicated. Her journey set efforts into motion that led to the creation of the Oregon Wolf Conservation and Management Plan. Other legislation, knee-jerk county decrees and countless news stories followed, all speculating on what impact wolves might have as they returned to their historic homeland.

I served on the original team that helped draft the earliest versions of what eventually became the state’s wolf plan. That’s where I met Carl Scheeler, wildlife biologist for the Umatilla tribe in northeast Oregon, who would continue to help the state craft conservation strategies that were adopted in 2005. Carl is a great biologist and also good with people. His sometimes irreverent humor was always well timed to lift discussions that had become muddied or polarized. He seemed to know that, no matter what, things were going to work out. His optimism helped many of us endure the endless (and often thankless) work of forging a plan that would secure the restoration of wolves while meeting the needs of diverse residents.

Carl always looked forward to the day that wolves would be documented on the Umatilla reservation, and would call from time to time with reports of tracks, sightings and other hopeful signs. It wasn’t until last year, however, that his hopes were finally fulfilled. Carl’s department assisted the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) in efforts to confirm the first wolf den site near the reservation. ODFW wolf biologists documented four pups last summer, and Defenders helped the tribe purchase several infrared, motion-detection wildlife cameras to continue monitoring the pack. In the fall, tribal biologists used the cameras we provided to document the alpha male of the pack. Then, just a few weeks ago, they captured this footage of the pack. We don’t know what startles the young wolf during the video, but notice how he submissively wraps his tail under his hindlegs. That’s normally the response of a lower-ranking wolf or pup when frightened.

Last week, Carl and I met with local ranchers and tribal and state wildlife managers to discuss nonlethal strategies for reducing conflicts between livestock and wolves on the reservation. We talked about the use of carcass disposal, increased human presence, fladry and other deterrents to reduce wolf and livestock losses. After the meeting, we followed up on a tip from a wildlife manager of another possible pack near tribal lands. It’s a beautiful national forest area that looks like the expansive valleys and rolling mountains in Yellowstone. There were loads of elk and plenty of deer sign in the large, open meadows and gorgeous red-barked Ponderosa pines towering above us as we drove through the rolling hills. After driving over washboard-pitted dirt roads with a blizzard bearing down on us, we found the spot where the tracks were reported. Tracking conditions were pretty good in the thin blanket of snow that covered most of the ground. Eager to confirm a new pack, we examined the tracks and quickly determined they were canine, but not wolf. Wolves have huge feet and leave a track that typically measures about five inches in length and three to four inches in width. That’s about the size of my hand, which is useful when I don’t have a ruler handy. Unfortunately, these were dog tracks – a big dog to be certain, but not his wild ancestor.

I always welcome the chance to return to the Umatilla country, and it’s even more powerful now with wolves back on the reservation. As one tribal leader assured me, “Wolves are welcome here and we hope to never lose them again.” Defenders will be part of that effort to ensure that wolves have a secure future on their historic homeland that they once again share with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla.

Suzanne Stone, Northern Rockies Representative

Defenders of Wildlife long ago recognized the importance of tribal wildlife programs to a vast number of species across the country, including salmon, grizzly, bison, black-footed ferret and more. In the West, more than 55 million acres are held in trust for tribal reservations, and even more are dedicated as ceded lands, which are held or managed by treaty. When combined with federal lands managed by agencies such as the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, these lands represent the majority of wildlife habitat in the western United States. But beyond providing significant habitat for wildlife, tribal leaders and scientists have assisted with the restoration of imperiled native species, including the return of wolves to the northern Rockies and Pacific Northwest.

In 1995, when the state of Idaho refused to participate in the restoration of wolves to the region, the Nez Perce tribe offered to take their place. The tribe entered a contract agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and assisted with the reintroduction efforts, then monitored wolf restoration for the next decade. Horace Axtell, now 87 years old and a venerated World War II veteran, is a spiritual leader of the tribe. He and other tribal elders conducted a ceremonial blessing for the wolves before they were set free to repopulate the state. Click here to listen to Horace share the stories passed down from his grandmother, who remembered the bond that the tribe held with wolves before they were eradicated from the region.

Jaime Pinkham, Nez Perce leader and former Defenders of Wildlife board member, explains that the Nez Perce shared a similar fate to wolves as both were driven from their homelands in the region. Wolves, he explains, are a “kind of mirror for Indian people. When the non-Indian settled the West, there were obstacles. The Nez Perce people were one of them: They got in the way, and they were removed. The gray wolf suffered a similar fate. Now, man and animal are each struggling to regain their rightful place.” Nez Perce schoolchildren named one of the reintroduced wolves “Chat Chaaht,” which means “older brother.” Chat Chaaht became an alpha male of his pack and lived to be 13 years of age — one of the oldest documented wolves in the region.

With the help of the Nez Perce and other tribes, wolves are regaining range across much of their historic homeland. Before federal protections were removed from wolves in Idaho, the state’s restored wolf population peaked at nearly 1,000 wolves. Wolves dispersing from Idaho have also now returned to other parts of their traditional homeland in Oregon and Washington. One adventurous, wide-ranging wolf dubbed “Journey” (also known as OR7) is now the first documented wolf to return to California since the early 20th century.

Wolf pups spotted on Umatilla land.

As wolves disperse, they are being aided and monitored by tribal wildlife officials. This summer, I was thrilled to hear that the Umatilla tribe in northeastern Oregon had documented the return of the first wolves to their land. The tribal wildlife managers had helped develop the Oregon Wolf Conservation Plan and had waited a long time for wolves to make it back to their homeland. Defenders assisted the tribe with monitoring cameras, and tried to ease the transition with area livestock owners by offering our expert information on nonlethal measures to help wolves avoid conflict with livestock. Carl Scheeler, Umatilla biologist and tribal liaison for the Oregon Wolf management team, said that as wolf range expands in the state, there are still some groups that demonize wolves, while others welcome their return.

“Currently, we’re looking at wolves through a magnifying glass. Every single depredation is elevated in the public eye. Every time a sheep dies by a wolf it makes front page news, but cougars, bears and coyotes still represent the vast majority of depredation losses.” Like the Umatilla elders, he values their return, not just in a cultural sense, but in an ecological way as well.  “I believe wolves fill an apex predatory role in the ecosystem,” he says.

In Washington, more tribal governments are taking an active role in wolf conservation as new packs become established in the state. Among the newest is the Colville nation, which has named its first reestablished pack “Nc’in,” the Okanogan word for wolf. While the tribe has some concerns regarding competition for elk and deer, a main source of sustenance for their community, they are willing to share their land with wolves and welcome their return. Just this fall, Colville tribal biologists documented another new pack, now the ninth documented pack in the state, and named it the Strawberries pack.

High school students perform the Quileute “wolf dance” when an ambassador wolf visits from Mission: Wolf.

Another tribe associated with wolves in Washington is the Quileute Nation, made famous by the popular series Twilight. Like other tribes, the Quileute still have a long and rich cultural tie to wolves, despite the fact that no wolves have yet been restored to their historical coastal range in the Olympic Peninsula west of Seattle. The Quileute celebrate their long-held connection with wolves through special dance and stories, which they often share with visitors. Last year, Defenders helped arrange for the Quileue people to meet ambassador wolves from Mission: Wolf, and study the wolves’ movements to help with their dance techniques. The tribal gathering included the youngest to eldest tribal members, and was a memorable, heartfelt celebration. It is our hope that someday wild wolves will regain their homeland in the Olympic range and fulfill their historic role, not only as a native cultural icon, but as an important carnivore in this spectacular and rich ecosystem.

I’ve had the honor to work with tribal leaders from across our region, and their wisdom guides much of our work today. Perhaps a quote from Chief Dan George of the Tsleil-waututh Nation in Burrard Inlet, British Columbia best sums it up: “If you talk to the animals, they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them, you will not know them, and what you do not know you will fear. What one fears, one destroys.” Our goal in promoting coexistence with wolves is to help people better know and understand wolves as a valuable species, and not one they should fear.

Help save Wyoming’s wolves – Thanks to all our members and supporters who have already signed our petition to the Obama administration. So far, more than 62,000 of you have weighed in, and we’re getting closer every day to our goal of 100,000 signatures. It’s not too late to sign or share with your friends on social media. Just click here.

Stop the war on wolves!

Our ask is simple: tell the Obama administration to maintain federal protection for Wyoming’s wolves until the state comes up with a better management plan. It’s important that we keep the pressure up because the delisting could come any day now. As this AP story suggests, a lawsuit from environmental groups could be waiting in the wings. But we’d much rather have the President take the lead on stopping this reprehensible plan in its tracks, before it ever has a chance to take effect.

With the hunting season scheduled to start in October and unrestricted killing allowed across more than 80 percent of the state, more than 100 wolves could be wiped out within a few months of delisting. The time to act is now! America’s wildlife heritage is a stake! Wyoming’s wolves need your help today!

Wolf pups galore! – Luckily, it’s not all bad news for wolves in the region. This year’s litter of pups appears to be doing very well in central Idaho and eastern Oregon. The Idaho Mountain Express reports that there are at least three packs in the Wood River Valley. This week, our field crew retrieved more than 100 new photos from Defenders trail cameras of the newly dubbed Pioneer Pack near Sun Valley. There appear to be at least four to five pups and three adults that were photographed while feeding on an elk carcass. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has had success getting pictures of pups lately too. They’ve documented at least two pups in the Umatilla area, officially making this group of wolves a pack and breeding pair. They also documented at least five pups in the Imnaha pack, one of the state’s oldest.

Here are a few of the best shots:

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Pioneer pack gray and black pups

Alpha female and two black pups

Alpha female and pups

Umatilla pups in Oregon

Imnaha pups in Oregon

Record number of elk calves in NW MT – Remember those stories we kept hearing about how wolves were decimating all the elk, especially in places like Montana’s Bitterroot Valley? Well this year Craig Jourdonnais, a biologist with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, documented 56 elk calves per 100 cows! According to this AP report, the ratio hasn’t been that high since 1976. The cause? Jourdonnais says it’s all about the weather, not wolves.

We’ll miss you, Tom — It’s with great sadness that we honor the passing of wolf expert Tom Meier. Tom helped lead wolf recovery efforts in Montana with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from 1996 to 2004, before returning to Denali National Park to conduct research for the National Park Service on predator-prey interactions. He was a true icon and will be missed. Read more in the Fairbanks News-Miner.

The lone male wolf known as OR7 may be in trouble if federal protections are removed for wolves in the Pacific Northwest.

There are about 50 wolves in the Pacific Northwest that range between Washington, Oregon and northern California, but only a tiny handful of them are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act. That’s why Defenders and 23 other conservation groups sent a letter to President Obama today, asking his administration to maintain those protections until the population has fully recovered.

When Congress delisted wolves in the Northern Rockies last year, wolves in eastern Washington and eastern Oregon lost their protection as well. But wolves in the western portion of those states are located outside of the Northern Rockies “distinct population segment” and thus still remain listed under the ESA. However, another anticipated delisting from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service could strip federal protections for gray wolves across the entire lower 48, including the Pacific Northwest.

There are currently two packs in Washington—the Lookout and Teanaway packs—that reside in the western portion of the state. A lone male wolf has also spent the last eight months traveling between southwest Oregon and northern California. These are the only known wolves in the Pacific Northwest that are currently protected under the federal ESA.

“Wolves have made an incredible comeback in the Rockies, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to give up on wolf recovery in the West,” said Pamela Flick, California program coordinator with Defenders of Wildlife. “Californians deserve the chance to see wolves returned to their former habitat in our state too, and maintaining federal protections across the Pacific Northwest is the best way to make sure that happens.”

Defenders and our colleagues are urging the Fish and Wildlife Service to create a new distinct population segment for the Pacific Northwest to maintain federal protections until wolves have fully recovered. While Oregon and Washington already have plans in place to restore wolves, protection under the federal ESA will commit additional resources to wolf recovery in the region. It also provides an extra safety net in case either state starts managing wolves too aggressively. Both Oregon and Washington have done a reasonably good job so far, but wildlife managers are under increasing pressure from anti-wolf extremists to limit wolf numbers.

In California, however, wolves could be without any safety net whatsoever if federal protections are eliminated. Defenders is working closely with California Department of Fish and Game to come up with a solid state management plan, but it’s still a ways off. The state is currently considering adding wolves to the state endangered species list, but there’s no guarantee of such protections.

We must act now to prevent this unwarranted delisting, before it’s too late. Wolves in the Pacific Northwest need full protection of the federal ESA to give them the best chance to recover.

Click here to read the coalition’s full press release.

“Coast to Coast” is a summer blog series highlighting some of America’s most imperiled wildlife. By using the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s new state-by-state endangered species map, we will tell  stories about native plants and animals in unique landscapes where Defenders will be focusing its conservation efforts in coming years.

This is the story of a mighty minnow called the Oregon chub. This tiny, silver-backed fish only grows up to nine inches long and hides out in slack water such as oxbows and beaver ponds. Chub can only be found in five counties in western Oregon along the Willamette River, but the plight of the chub is representative of many species across the region. While the chub is now on the road to recovery, this humble fish offers an important cautionary tale of what’s at stake for other species.

Bioregion known as Cascadia

Cascadia, known as “The Land of Falling Waters,” is an eco-region defined by the river valleys that drain the Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwest. Those rivers were once dominated by big fish like salmon, steelhead and trout that dine on smaller fish like the Oregon chub. But the Willamette River Valley, home of the Oregon chub, is where nearly two-thirds of Oregonians also make their home, causing serious trouble for the chub and other fish.

The Willamette River was once the major creator of still, shallow water that the Oregon chub needs to survive. However, the chub’s habitat was slowly destroyed as the river’s natural flows were cut off upstream. Extensive flood-control and dam management have caused marshes, oxbows and over-flow ponds to disappear. The chub nearly disappeared along with them; by 1993 populations had been reduced by 98%, and it was officially listed as an endangered species.

For almost five years, several small conservation measures were put in place. Agreements with local officials at water treatment plants, the Army Corp of Engineers and other organizations helped improve the chub’s status. However, in 1998, it was discovered that only 20 populations remained, and 12 of those had fewer than 100 individuals.

That same year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service implemented a recovery plan that included protecting critical chub habitat, reintroduction of populations into previously populated areas, and programs to raise public awareness. It was a huge success.  In 2010, the chub became the comeback kid of Oregon.  The once-dwindling species boomed to over 20 populations of at least 500 fish, enough to merit a change of its status from “endangered” to “threatened.”

Listen to experts from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife talk about their successful recovery efforts:

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While chub populations are finally improving, other fish species in Cascadia still need our help. Pacific salmon and steelhead populations, for example, are still well below historic levels as a result of decades of dam-building and water pollution. That’s why Defenders has been fighting attempts in Congress to lift vital protections that keep our rivers clean and our fish healthy. Pesticides, in particular, are still a major threat to many species across the region, including the Oregon chub. Yet Big Ag and pesticide manufacturers want to make it easier to poison our waterways with toxic pesticides. Help us stand up to special interests and keep our rivers safe for people and wildlife!

OR7 back in Oregon – According to a press release from state wildlife managers, OR7 is an Oregon wolf once again. That is, until he decides to do some more border-jumping. After two months in Northern California, OR7 crossed back into his home state yesterday. The lone dispersing male wolf left his pack in September and crossed into the Golden State on Dec. 28. He remains protected under federal law while in western Oregon and California, and under state law if he returns all the way home to eastern Oregon.

Wolves in the Jackson suburbs – At least three wolves have garnered much attention in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which isn’t necessarily a good thing for the wolves. Local residents have been seeing wolves literally in their backyards on the outskirts of town for months now.

Here’s some footage from YouTube:

Even though the wolves haven’t caused any trouble yet, having them so close to people is risky. While wild wolves pose very little threat to humans, wolves that become habituated can become more dangerous to people and their pets. That’s why the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said this week that they will be taking action to lethally remove the animals before anything bad happens (see story in Jackson Hole News & Guide).

This sad incident is a good reminder that people living in wolf country must take an active role to keep wolves and other wildlife wild. Making sure that wild animals keep a healthy fear of us helps protect  animals from being harmed or killed. With wolves, simple hazing such as shouting, making loud noises or even throwing rocks can help make sure they don’t come around too often. It’s also important to remove any attractants like pet food or even garbage that might lure them in for a snack. Deer and elk should not be fed as they can attract predators as well. And of course, for those residents living adjacent to wild areas, keeping dogs and other pets on a leash and inside when you’re not with them is always a good practice.

“You just can’t let them lose that fear of people, because that’s what’s protecting them the most.” — Suzanne Stone, Northern Rockies representative

Defenders is working to help educate residents about basic safety around wildlife, including wolves. Living near wolves and other wildlife can indeed be thrilling, but it’s our responsibility to help keep these animals in the wild and out of trouble.

Wolves hunt two bull elk in Yellowstone. Photo courtesy of the U.S. National Park Service.

Elk propaganda in Oregon – Time and again we hear about how wolves are “decimating” elk in the Northern Rockies, despite the fact that there were an estimated 373,000 elk last year between Montana, Idaho and Wyoming and about 1,650 wolves. It appears this propaganda is now spreading to Oregon where there are fewer than 30 wolves and an estimated 125,000 elk (see story in The Oregonian).

There’s no denying that some herds in the region have declined from their historic highs in the days when hardly any predators remained on the landscape. But scapegoating wolves, or any native carnivores, is simply unjustified. The point our wolf expert Suzanne Stone was trying to make in the story, which the writer misinterpreted, was that habitat loss influences elk numbers far more than natural predation by native carnivores.  Elk and other ungulates like deer and moose evolved alongside wolves and other native carnivores for thousands of years. Historically, wolves have played a unique role in culling ungulate herds, removing the old, sick and weak. The presence of wolves also prevented ungulates from growing too numerous or spending too much time grazing in any one area. Wolves are filling this role once again in places like Yellowstone and can do so in Oregon if they’re given a chance.

Bad Idaho wolf bill abandoned – Idaho State Sen. Jeff Siddoway was brought to tears this week when he realized he wouldn’t see his radical anti-wolf bill become law (see story in the Idaho Statesman). A bill he had proposed would have expanded ranchers’ ability to kill wolves caught harassing their livestock by using live bait (like dogs and sheep), night vision scopes, motorized vehicles and even powered parachutes to gun down the offending wolves. Siddoway’s epiphany wasn’t that the methods were cruel and unusual, or that killing wolves was unnecessary. Instead, it was brought to his attention that taking such egregious measures might end up with wolves back on the federal endangered species list. I guess we should just be thankful that the bill is dead…for now.

A herder and his dog round up a flock of sheep in central Idaho's Wood River Valley.

Wood River Project heads to DC – We’re still a few months away from the summer proactive season when we help ranchers implement nonlethal deterrents that help wolves and livestock coexist. But our project partners in central Idaho are already gearing up. (see story in Idaho Mountain Express). Blaine County Commissioner Larry Schoen said his intention for calling the meeting was “to open lines of communication and new cooperative efforts.” Larry has served as a project member for the last three years and become a champion of wildlife coexistence measures that reduce livestock losses.  Suzanne Stone, our project coordinator, and other members of the Wood River Wolf Project team will also be meeting with Defenders staff and federal officials here in DC next week to help promote the project.

More delistings ahead? – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a five-year status review of gray wolves this week that could strip federal protections for the species across most of the country. Currently, gray wolves are protected as an endangered species all across the lower 48, except for specific populations that have already been delisted (i.e., most of the Northern Rockies and western Great Lakes). That means if a wolf wanders into Colorado or California (which has already happened), it’s automatically protected under the Endangered Species Act. However, the status review indicates that the Service is now planning to remove protections everywhere that wolves don’t currently exist. Such a move could make it nearly impossible for wolves to ever recover in important parts of their historic range like the Southern Rockies, upper New England and other parts of the West.

The Service says it’s still evaluating the status of Mexican wolves in the Southwest and gray wolves in the Pacific Northwest and eastern United States. Those reviews are expected to be completed by the end of September. Our concern is that it appears the Service is getting ready to give up on wolf recovery and delist the species nationwide soon thereafter.