Oregon wolf puzzle: Two wolves collared in state aren't related to others

[bearpaw]

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2012/08/oregon_wolf_puzzle_two_wolves.html

Oregon wolf puzzle: Two wolves collared in state aren't related to other Oregon wolves

Published: Friday, August 03, 2012, 6:29 PM
By Richard Cockle, The Oregonian

So where did they come from? Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists have a wolf puzzle on their hands.

They've discovered that two gray wolves captured and collared last fall in northeastern Oregon's Walla Walla pack aren't closely related to any other Oregon wolves that have been sampled to date.

All they really know from the wolf DNA is that OR-10 and OR-11 are full siblings, biologists said in a wolf program update.

The rest of Oregon's gray wolves are believed to have either migrated into the state from Idaho, or are offspring or descendants of wolves from Idaho. Many appear to be related to one another.

Example: A wolf known as OR-12, a member of the Wenaha pack that was captured April 2, is a progeny of the Imnaha pack, farther to the east. OR-12 is believed to be the breeding male for the Wenaha pack, and biologists are testing Wenaha pup scats to confirm that.

[BENCHLEG]

All i have to say is, shoot strait.

[pianoman9701]

Why would they collar and release them if they're not related to the allowed animals? What a dumb idea. Let's publicize it so the wolf idiots can release a few more. 

[Knocker of rocks]

Why would they collar and release them if they're not related to the allowed animals? What a dumb idea. Let's publicize it so the wolf idiots can release a few more. 

Just because they are not related to the Blue's pack or the Idaho wolves does not mean they are anything other than wild.  They could be from Wyoming or from the North Cascades/British Columbia on walk-about.

They could also be wildcat released animals.

There are several possibilities, and not all suggest malfeasance.  Modern DNA and computers will allow better ideas where these came from, and if the data does suggest that they are animals released by groups or from facilities, I hope the ODFW informs the press.

[pianoman9701]

Why would they collar and release them if they're not related to the allowed animals? What a dumb idea. Let's publicize it so the wolf idiots can release a few more. 

Just because they are not related to the Blue's pack or the Idaho wolves does not mean they are anything other than wild.  They could be from Wyoming or from the North Cascades/British Columbia on walk-about.

They could also be wildcat released animals.

There are several possibilities, and not all suggest malfeasance.  Modern DNA and computers will allow better ideas where these came from, and if the data does suggest that they are animals released by groups or from facilities, I hope the ODFW informs the press.

They could be from the N. Cascades, but would've had to take a very roundabout route to get there, cutting across several other wolf packs in the process. It seems very unlikely. I do hope they find a match to that DNA and identify the source. We have enough wolves coming into WA from ID and the north. We don't need other sources.