Blue Mountain Eagle
ELGIN – Biologists on Thursday, Nov. 1, radio-collared a new wolf in an area where wolves previously had not been detected.
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said the wolf, an 85-pound male now identified as OR 16, was found north of Elgin in the Wenaha Unit in Union County.
The wolf was captured incidentally by the personnel from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s APHIS-Wildlife Services.
Each year, ODFW issues an incidental take permit to Wildlife Services which contains provisions to minimize the risk of incidental captures and to protect wolves if captured.
Officials said the permit requires close coordination between the two agencies, which in this case resulted in a successfully collared wolf being released in excellent health.
ODFW is not sure if the wolf is part of any of the three known nearby packs (Wenaha, Walla Walla and Umatilla River) or if it represents new wolf activity. Biologists expect that the animal’s new GPS collar will soon answer that question.