Experts weigh in after frightening animal sighting in small town: ‘Travel in groups’ [Canada]

From TheCoolDown.com

Multiple sightings of a wolf in Canada’s Northwest Territories city of Yellowknife were eventually confirmed by Renewable Resource Officer Julian Sabourin, who offered the small community advice on how to stay safe when these animals are near.

Several Yellowknife residents spotted and filmed the small wolf, which caused quite a stir online. Sabourin stated that they live in a remote area, so residents need to be prepared, especially around this time of year when wildlife often wanders into the cities searching for food.

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Wyoming Must ‘Close The Door’ On Running Over Wolves With Snowmobiles, Schmid Says

From CowboyStateDaily:

Nearly a year after the torture and death of a wolf in Daniel, Wyoming, drew worldwide scorn as running predators down with snowmobiles remains legal in the state. Wyoming needs to “close the door” on the practice of using vehicles as weapons against wolves and other predatory animals, said Rep. Mike Schmid, R-La Barge. He’s been vocal about banning predator “whacking” or “mashing” with vehicles, as it’s commonly called.

He sponsored House Bill 331, which would have banned whacking. But that bill died in a House committee. He still hopes that a ban on predator whacking can be amended into House Bill 275, which he co-sponsored.

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Reintroducing wolves to Highlands could help native woodlands, says study

From The Guardian:

Reintroducing wolves in the Scottish Highlands could lead to an expansion of native woodland, which could take in and store 1m tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, researchers have suggested.

A study led by researchers at the University of Leeds said that reintroducing the species into the Cairngorms, as well as the south-west, north-west and central Highlands could help curb the problem of red deer eating tree saplings, which stops natural woodland regeneration.

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CDFW Captures and Collars 12 Gray Wolves in Northern California

From California Department of Fish and Wildlife:

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced the recent capture, collar and release of 12 gray wolves in northern California.

There are now more satellite-collared wolves in California than ever before, which is expected to improve understanding and management of the species in the state.  “The captures exceeded our expectations and will enhance our ability to monitor our wolf population both for conservation and recovery and also to help mitigate conflict with livestock,” said Axel Hunnicutt, CDFW’s Statewide Gray Wolf Coordinator.

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Bills look to extend wolf seasons in Montana

From BonnersFerryHerald.com:

The Montana House Fish, Wildlife and Parks committee spent nearly five hours Jan. 21 considering a trio of bills related to Montana’s population of roughly 1,100 resident wolves — far too many, according to two legislators seeking to cut the population nearly in half.

Two bills, both brought by freshman legislators, aim to reduce the population of wolves in Montana closer to 450, a number established by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks that would sustain the population without risking the animals returning to the Endangered Species List.

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9 range riders accept offers to work on ranches to prevent depredations in northwest Colorado

From Denver7.com:

Nine people who have applied to become a range rider in Colorado — a task that involves long days and nights understanding livestock and protecting them from predators, like wolves — have accepted offers from the state.

Officials announced last year that the Colorado Range Rider program would launch in early 2025 and would contract 12 qualified people to work in the northwest region of the state. One of their roles is to keep gray wolves, which were reintroduced in December 2023, away from the livestock.

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Colorado wildlife officials confirm a new wolf discovered in the state

From Coloradoan.com:

Colorado wildlife officials confirmed Friday the state is home to a wolf not released as part of its reintroduction plan, the first such confirmation since 2021.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife said it recently confirmed that a scat sample from the northwest corner of Moffat County tested positive for wolf DNA, “meaning there is at least one uncollared wolf on the landscape in our population estimate that was not part of the agency’s reintroduction efforts.”

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Nash bill would increase money to livestock producers hurt by wolves [Oregon]

From ElkHornMediaGroup.com:

SALEM – Sen. Todd Nash (R-Wallowa) has introduced a bill that he says would make compensation fairer for livestock producers hurt by wolf depredation. He said the legislation has a lucky number. It’s Senate Bill 777.

The measure provides that compensation for injury to livestock or working dogs under the wolf compensation and financial assistance grant program must be based on fair market value as well as other factors. Ward said that many livestock producers have stopped filing for some compensation because of a system they see to be flawed.

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CPW staff went to Canada before commission vote that could have paused wolf reintroductions

From 9News.com:

DENVER — When Colorado Parks and Wildlife commissioners voted in January on whether or not to pause further wolf reintroductions, CPW already had staff in Canada prepared to start capturing wolves, a CPW spokesperson confirmed to 9NEWS.

“The agency had to be ready to start capture operations if the petition to pause reintroduction was denied as the contracts with capture helicopters and other logistical arrangements were in place,” CPW spokesperson Rachael Gonzales told 9NEWS.

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Wildlife regulators are looking for timber wolves in Lower Michigan

From MLive.com:

TRAVERSE CITY, MI – State wildlife officials are again looking for wolves in Lower Michigan.

Scientists with the state Department of Natural Resources want residents of the northern Lower Peninsula to keep their eyes open for gray wolves, also called timber wolves. The official survey period will run from next week on Feb. 17 through March 10.

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