Wolves and Lambs

Wolves and Lambs

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
With at least 80 to 100 packs of wolves living in Idaho, wolves essentially occupy the entire state north of Interstate 84, and wolf populations are expected to continue growing, according to Idaho Department of Fish and Game officials. Wolves have expanded from Idaho into Washington and Oregon and they're spreading into California as well. DNA evidence also indicates that wolves freely travel back into Idaho from Montana, Wyoming, Washington and Oregon.  U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) has insisted on a plan to remove gray wolves from the federal endangered species list. "Oregon's wolf population has grown by more than 40 percent, and yet we have this divided management strategy in the federal government where in part of the state wolves are still listed and part of the state they're not. We need a single management strategy where we have local control under the Oregon state plan," said Walden. "That's why this amendment is so important. We need to repeal the endangered species listing for the gray wolf, and get it under state management where we've got the most local control so Oregonians can make the decisions." 

Sheepherder Mark Henslee said they have six guard dogs protecting one band of sheep that was preyed upon by wolves in July. Henslee had noise-makers and strobe lights set up at night around the sheep in hopes of preventing wolf kills.Wolves killed two ewes and a lamb on July 9th, they came back and killed two ewes and a lamb on July 10th, and then killed another lamb on July 13.

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