Phone
Contacts to Report Wolf Observations, Dead and Injured Wolves,
and Suspected Depredation
1. To
report wolf activity or sightings, without a problem incident:
Call the
Wolf Reporting Hotline for Washington (1-888-584-9038)
or the appropriate USFWS or WDFW office (phone numbers
listed below).
2. To
report possible wolf-caused livestock depredation:
Call USDA
Wildlife Services or the appropriate USFWS or WDFW office
(phone numbers listed below). While waiting for the agencies
to respond, the caller should follow these instructions to
protect the scene:
Avoid walking in and around the area.
Do
not touch anything and keep all people and animals from the
area to protect evidence.
Place
a tarp over the carcass.
If
possible, use cans or other objects to cover tracks and scats
that can confirm the depredating species.
3. To
report an injured or dead wolf:
Call the
appropriate USFWS or WDFW office (phone numbers listed below).
While waiting for the agencies to respond, the caller should
follow these instructions to protect the scene:
Treat area as a potential crime scene.
Do
not touch anything and keep all people and animals from the
area to protect evidence.
Place
a tarp over the wolf carcass.
If
possible, use cans or other objects to cover footprints and
animals tracks.
4. To
report a wolf capture:
Call the
appropriate USFWS or WDFW office (phone numbers listed below)
For emergency
or after-hours:
Contact
your local State Patrol Office and ask to be connected to
a local WDFW wildlife officer.
| U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Monday through Friday,
8:00 – 5:00, (except federal holidays):
|
Eastern
Washington:
Spokane (509) 891-6839 |
Western
Washington:
Lacey (360) 753-9440 |
| USFWS
Office of Law Enforcement to report dead or injured wolves: |
| Richland
/ Spokane (509) 375-6202 |
Bellingham
(360) 733-0963
|
Lacey
(360) 753-7764
|
Portland
(503) 780-9771 |
| Redmond
(425) 883-8122 |
|
| USFWS
Office of Law Enforcement after hours: |
| Call
Washington State Patrol Office (425-649-4370). Tell dispatcher
which county is involved and ask to be connected to a
USFWS Special Agent. |
| Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife, Monday through Friday,
8:00 – 5:00: |
Spokane
(509) 892-1001
|
Mill
Creek (425) 775-1311 |
| Ephrata
(509) 754-4624 |
Montesano
(360) 249-4628 |
| Yakima
(509) 575-2740 |
Olympia
(360) 902-2200 |
| Vancouver
(360) 696-6211 |
|
| USDA
Wildlife Services, Statewide, Monday through Friday, 8:00
– 5:00: |
| Olympia
(360) 753-9884 |
| For
Emergency and after-hours: |
| Contact
your local State Patrol Office and ask to be connected
to a local WDFW wildlife officer. |
PURPOSE
These response
guidelines are a cooperative effort between the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Washington Department
of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and U.S.
Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services (WS). The purpose
of the guidelines is to prepare for a coordinated and effective
response to possible situations that may occur if wolf/human
interactions take place in Washington State. This is not
a wolf management plan or recovery plan. It does not contain
any objectives for establishing wolves in Washington State.
The guidelines adhere to Federal and, where appropriate, State
law and policy and emphasize close interagency and inter-governmental
coordination and a common understanding of specific roles and
responsibilities between all involved agencies.
BACKGROUND
The following
information provides some background on the legal status of
wolves in Washington, management authorities, the history of
wolves in Washington, and issues surrounding their migration
into the State.
1. The
gray wolf has been extirpated from Washington, meaning that
the species, which was native to Washington, is thought to
no longer occur here. A female wolf, radio-collared in Montana,
was present in northeastern Washington for 2- 3 days in the
winter of 2002. In addition, there have been numerous, unconfirmed
wolf sightings in the State over the past few years. However,
there are no confirmed wild wolf packs in Washington at this
time. Research conducted on wolves from 1979 through the late
1990s indicates that wolves, once given an opportunity, will
establish new packs by dispersing into new areas. The average
pack size ranges from 3 to 19 wolves, according to a 1999
study of wolves in the central Rocky Mountains.
2. The
gray wolf is listed as ‘endangered' in Washington under
the Federal
Endangered Species Act (ESA). As long as the gray wolf
remains Federally listed under the ESA, the USFWS has overall
lead responsibility for wild wolves in Washington. Wild wolves
that enter the State are fully protected by the ESA, which
is administered and enforced by the USFWS. Wolf hybrids have
no Federal or State legal status. For species listed under
the Federal ESA, activities that may result in “take”
of endangered species are generally prohibited. The definition
of take under the ESA includes to harass, harm, pursue, hunt,
shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or attempt
to engage in any such conduct.
3. The
gray wolf is also listed as endangered by the State of Washington
and receives protection under State law (WAC
232.12.014, RCW
77.15.120). The State may designate agents or enter into
cooperative agreements with Federal agencies to enforce State
law. The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission may also
promulgate rules to authorize Federal and State agencies concerned
with the management of fish and wildlife resources to lethally
remove wolves under limited circumstances.
The WDFW
currently has a cooperative agreement with the USFWS, under
Section
6 of the Federal ESA, that provides WDFW authority to
manage for the conservation of endangered or threatened species,
including gray wolves, within the State, except for lethal
take of those species.
4. The
Federal gray wolf recovery program in the northwestern United
States is focused on maintaining viable wolf populations in
parts of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. There are no federally
sponsored plans to promote wolf recovery in Washington. However,
wolves may move into the State from the expanding central
Idaho or northwestern Montana populations, or from Canada,
and it is anticipated that packs may become established in
Washington in the future.
5. When
the wolf is Federally delisted, management authority will
revert to the State. In anticipation of this, the WDFW is
initiating development of a state wolf conservation and management
plan.
6. The
WDFW strives to recover extirpated native species whenever
possible. However, the agency has no plans to reintroduce
wolves to Washington. As noted above, it is expected that
wolves will disperse naturally into the State from surrounding
populations. In recognition that wolves may become established
in the State in the future, the USFWS, WDFW and WS must be
prepared to respond to incidents involving wolves.
7. Tribal
governments manage wildlife on their reserved lands and they
maintain certain rights to wildlife resources on ceded lands
in the State.
8. Wolves
sometimes depredate on livestock and/or other domesticated
animals and these depredations must be investigated and controlled.
Thus, Wildlife Services (WS), the Federal agency with nationwide
responsibilities for managing wildlife damage problems, is
also a key partner in wolf management in the State.
OVERVIEW
OF POTENTIAL SITUATIONS
Discussed
below are five situations that might arise in Washington and
an overview of the recommended response strategy for each situation.
The five situations are:
1.
Unconfirmed report of wolf activity or sightings.
2.
Verified wolf activity, without a problem incident.
3.
Report of possible wolf-caused livestock depredation.
4.
Report of a wolf capture.
5.
Report of an injured or dead wolf.
Specific
incidents will have unique circumstances and responses are likely
to vary from case to case to account for individual situations.
The cooperating agencies will coordinate their responses to
the various wolf management situations as they arise. If wolf
activity is discovered within or adjacent to tribal lands, government-to-government
discussions with the affected Tribe will be initiated.
1.
Unconfirmed Reports of Wolf Activity (Tracks or Sightings)
USFWS,
WDFW and other agencies occasionally receive reports from
people who have observed either large tracks or large animals
that they think may be wolves. The response procedure is
to interview the caller and fill out the observation form
that documents details on the observation and where it was
located. This information will be stored for future reference.
2.
Verified Wolf Activity (Not Involving a Depredation or Conflict)
Wolf activity in Washington will be considered verified
when a State, Federal or Tribal wildlife biologist has been
able to see and, to the extent possible, conclusively identify
a wild wolf in the field. If current, highly credible reports
are received from another source, or if multiple credible
reports are received from the same area, appropriate personnel
may be sent out to the area to verify it. If there is uncertainty
about the identification, wolf experts may be brought in
to assist in the confirmation process.
If wild wolves are confirmed to be present in Washington
and the animal(s) has not been implicated in a livestock
depredation or other problem incident, USFWS, WS and WDFW
will collaborate to monitor the wolf activity to the best
of their ability, given available resources. Tribal wildlife
agencies may also participate in monitoring activities.
In addition, a WDFW local enforcement officer will coordinate
with livestock producers in the local area to provide relevant
information and what steps they may legally take to prevent
depredation.
The preferred monitoring approach is to capture and radio-collar
wolves to facilitate regular tracking of movements. However,
this can be difficult to accomplish with a lone wolf that
is roaming across wide areas. Available funding and personnel
may limit the ability to pursue this approach. Coordinating
agencies would likely wait until there are multiple observations
of wolf activity in an area – indicating the presence
of one or more resident animals – before considering
a concerted effort to capture and collar a wolf. A potential
alternative approach would be to do periodic surveillance
from the ground and air to document tracks and any observed
wolf activity.
The purpose of monitoring wolf activity, once verified,
is to determine what areas wolves are using. Also, by knowing
where the wolves are located, the agencies may be able to
anticipate problem situations and utilize non-lethal techniques
to possibly prevent or reduce conflicts. If problem situations
do occur, the presence of radio-collared animals will increase
the efficiency of subsequent actions.
Both confirmed and unconfirmed reports of wolf sightings
should be mapped, and reports stored by the agency wolf
point of contact in their respective offices.
3.
Report of Possible Wolf-Caused Livestock Depredation or Other
Domestic Animal Conflict
WS is
the lead Federal agency for animal damage control and, when
authorized by USFWS, will implement wolf control actions in
Washington. When a report is received claiming that a wolf
has attacked livestock (cattle, sheep, horses, mules, herding
or guarding animals such as llamas, donkeys and livestock
guarding and herding dogs) or other domestic animals, agency
response will include the following elements:
WS investigates. Keys to a successful response include:
WS personnel are rapidly notified and respond promptly and
determine whether or not it is a wolf depredation;
There is prompt coordination with the affected livestock
producer to secure the scene;
Key individuals in USFWS and WDFW are promptly notified,
including USFWS and WDFW Office of Law Enforcement; and
There is coordination between USFWS, WDFW, WS, and landowner
to plan possible follow-up actions.
If the WS investigation determines that the depredation
was wolf-caused, a response action will be initiated. Site-specific
circumstances will dictate what type of response action
will be used. Response actions will become more aggressive,
if needed, until depredations cease.
4.
Wolf Capture
Wolves
may be caught in traps or snares set for other animals. If
a captured wolf is healthy, the responding agency will consult
with partner agencies prior to initiating an action. Sitespecific
circumstances will influence how such captures are handled;
however, a rapid response and decision will be necessary to
ensure the health and well being of the animal. USFWS Office
of Law Enforcement should immediately be consulted in this
situation (to make a legal determination about the capture,
properly document the event, and initiate further action if
necessary). Factors that will be considered when responding
to a wolf capture include the following:
If there is no history of wolf problems in the area where
the animal is captured, the preferred approach is on-site
release. However, decisions regarding how to manage the
issue will be made on a case-by-case basis. An evaluation
will be made to determine if there have been any reported
wolf problems in the area prior to making a release decision.
Interagency coordination will be initiated to determine
what should be done with the animal.
If an on-site release is being considered, an evaluation
of the animal’s health will be conducted prior to
release. If the wolf is injured, depending on the severity
of the injury, a decision will be made on whether or not
to release the animal. Female wolves with pups captured
on public lands prior to October 1 should be released in
the same area as capture unless there have been repeated
depredations in the area.
If the animal is collared and released, collaborating agencies
will monitor its movements as regularly as possible.
If a decision is made to hold the animal, arrangements will
be made with an appropriate kennel facility and veterinary
care will be arranged, if needed.
5.
Report of a Dead or Injured Wolf
USFWS
Office of Law Enforcement and WDFW enforcement personnel will
immediately be called in to investigate all reports of dead
or injured wolves and make a determination about the cause
of death or injury, properly document the event, and initiate
further action as necessary. The USFWS is responsible for
investigating cases that involve unauthorized take of a Federally
listed species. The WDFW is responsible for investigating
violations of State wildlife laws. When an injured or dead
wolf is found, response will include the following elements:
USFWS and WDFW Law Enforcement will be immediately notified
and they will determine and control all subsequent aspects
of the response.
Keys to a successful response include:
Law Enforcement officers are rapidly notified and respond
promptly,
Scene where the animal was found is left undisturbed and
effectively secured,
Key individuals in various agencies are promptly notified,
If an injured wolf is found, actions will be taken immediately
to stabilize its condition. Interagency coordination will
be initiated to determine what should be done with the animal.
Depending on the severity of the injury, a decision will
be made on whether or not to release the animal.
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