That's 'about normal,' biologist says
WHITNEY ROYSTER Star-Tribune environmental reporter | Posted: Monday, September 10, 2007 12:00 am
JACKSON - Federal agents so far this year have killed 44 wolves for preying on livestock in Wyoming, according to a wolf biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
That's "about normal" with a population this size and about the same as last year, Mike Jimenez said.
Jimenez, Wyoming's wolf recovery coordinator, said this summer has been "pretty typical" for wolves and wolf behavior. Still, September can be a pivotal month, as cattle are still in the high country and may still be preyed upon.
Jimenez said there have been about 60 livestock - some cattle and some sheep - killed by wolves in 2007. That number is smaller than last year's final total of 150 kills.
Although the livestock killing numbers are dramatically different so far, Jimenez said the same number of wolves has been removed because federal agents have "taken out more wolves quicker in shorter time frame to not allow packs to keep killing."
"We've been responding aggressively right off the bat," he said.
Jim Magagna, executive vice president of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, agreed this year has been fairly typical.
He has not heard of someone losing a particularly large amount of livestock, but has heard of some losses in the Upper Green River area and in the southern Wind River Mountains. Magagna runs a sheep operation in that area and said he hasn't had any incidents this year.
The Cody and Meeteetse area has been the busiest for wolf control. Wolf managers removed the majority of the Carter Mountain pack, leaving only an adult female and pup in the pack that once numbered 15.
The Washakie pack has seen some wolf control, as well as the Gooseberry pack and East Fork pack near Dubois.
Six wolves were removed from the Green River pack, leaving three in the pack that routinely has wolves removed every year.
There are about 175 wolves in Wyoming outside Yellowstone National Park, and 130 inside. Jimenez said wolf numbers will remain stable outside the park, but inside the park saw a bump this year because last year had a distemper outbreak.
The federal government is looking to remove wolves from federal protection as early as next year, and Wyoming has indicated it wants to manage for the minimum number of wolves - 100.
Environmental reporter Whitney Royster can be reached at (307) 734-0260 or at royster@tribcsp.com.