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Region 5 WDFW biologists were joined by 20 citizen volunteers to conduct the elk mortality survey on the Mt. St. Helen's Wildlife Area. All the remains were examined for bone marrow condition in the femur, which is an indication of elk body condition.

April 23, 2007

Region 5 Wildlife Areas

Mt St Helens Wildlife Area Elk Mortality Survey: Region 5 WDFW biologists were joined by 20 citizen volunteers to conduct the elk mortality survey on the Wildlife Area this week. The Wildlife Area is divided into 8 survey sections that are sampled each year as an index for winter severity and elk condition. This year’s results are confounded by several variables as a result of late hunting seasons in December, feeding alfalfa hay to the elk on the Wildlife Area from early January through early April, and the high mortality last spring. Therefore, this year’s stand alone index will be difficult to compare to other years.

The crews found 18 elk carcasses that were clearly from this winter. The breakdown of sex and age is as follows: 10 adult cows, 1 adult bull, 1 adult unknown sex, 1 yearling male, 1 yearling unknown sex, and 4 calves. All the remains were examined for bone marrow condition in the femur, which is an indication of elk body condition. Bones were sawn in half as a marker to prevent recounting in future years.

Wildlife Diversity Division

Western Pond Turtles: Biologist Slavens captured a total of 31 western pond turtles (11 males, 4 females, and 16 unknown sex) at Sondino Ponds this last week. One of the unknown sexes was a 3 year-old new recruit. We now have a total of 84 turtles (35 males, 7 females, and 42 unknowns) that have been captured this season. Sixty-eight of those were head-started turtles. There are currently seven females with working transmitters on. Bullfrog capture/control efforts are just getting underway, but it is a still early for egg laying.