Canid shot by Wildlife Services near Kemmerer,
Wyoming;
Chief Joseph Likely Killed Sheep Dog NW of Yellowstone
10-13-98
Email addresses for members of Congress, the media, and other officials.Wildlife Services has shot and killed a canid to the west of Kemmerer, Wyoming. The animal had been in the area for about a month. It killed several lambs and injured a "miniature donkey." The donkey, which weighed only 60 pounds, later died of injuries. The canid looked like a black wolf, except its paws appeared a bit small and its legs short. It weighed 97 pounds. The fact that it stayed in the same area and failed to kill the donkey upon attack also indicate it may not have been a wolf. Its tissue has been sent to Ashland, OR for DNA analysis
Wildlife Services successfully shot the animal from the air after missing it their shot on the ground. The canid was estimated to be about 2 years old. Arguing in favor of it being a wolf is that was about the age of dispersal and the prime dispersal season is October through January.
If it was a wolf, this is good dispersal news because Kemmerer is situated at the far southern end of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. This would auger well for wolves reinhabiting southwestern Wyoming, Utah, Eastern Idaho, and perhaps Colorado.
Meanwhile on October 9, a ranch reported that wolves had killed a sheep dog near the ranch house to the NW of Yellowstone Park. Radio telemetry indicated that the Chief Joseph Pack was in the area (the NW corner of the Park and just beyond, is their home territory). The rancher did not ask that the wolves be "controlled." He was given a receiver, however. The wolves have since moved away from the area.
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Copyright ©1998 Ralph Maughan
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