12/15/11
JOSEPH – For the second time this week, a rancher's adult cow has been killed by wolves in northeastern Oregon's Imnaha pack.
"We are seeing a significant change in their behavior – they are going after larger animals," Michelle Dennehy, spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in Salem, said today
The latest killing was the sixth confirmed livestock loss to wolves since Oct. 5 and the 20th since the spring of 2010, she said.
Last year, Imnaha pack wolves generally restricted their prey to small calves, and most of their activities occurred during the spring. Now, the pack appears to be shifting to larger yearlings and adult cows, and are killing later into the winter.
The department confirmed Tuesday that a yearling heifer was found dead on private land. The latest adult cow was found on the same ranch and probably died Tuesday morning or Monday night, said Dennehy. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's stance is that the lethal removal of "problem" wolves that are killing ranchers' cattle is appropriate, she said. A "kill order" was issued for the Imnaha pack's alpha male and a younger wolf, but was blocked by a lawsuit.
Dennehy said ODFW has issued "caught in the act" permits to 33 ranchers, permitting them to shoot and kill wolves that are seen biting, wounding or killing livestock. However, the permit language is specific, and ranchers cannot shoot a wolf unless they see it in the midst of an attack, she said. Since wolves typically hunt at night, it's unlikely that a rancher would catch one in the act of attacking livestock, she said.
Richard Cockle
