Wolves now allowed to migrate out of Northern Rockies experimental area?4-28-99
There is good indication from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that future wolves that migrate from Idaho, Montana, or Wyoming into surrounding states will be allowed to remain there.
The controversy first arose when an Idaho wolf unexpectedly moved westward and swam the Snake River to reach Oregon. After a month of perfectly good wolf behavior, wolf B45F, by then "the Blue Mountain wolf," was recaptured and dropped off near the Idaho/Montana border, far from Oregon.
In the meantime, controversy arose as to whether Oregon was ready for wolves, whether there was habitat in Oregon for wolves (B45 put on weight while there), and what to do about the future. During the period, a large expenditure of resources and time was made on this one wolf, monies the project could ill afford to spend.
At the recent Interagency Wolf Conference in Chico, Montana, Roy Herberger of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Idaho gave a presentation on B45, and the month he spent doing little else but dealing with her migration. Herberger indicated that Director Jamie Clark, head of the Service recently said that the Service would not be in business of retrieving wolves, a good indication, that future wandering wolves will be allowed to stay and meet their fates, good or ill, meet other wolves and expand their ranges.
Obvious places where Wyoming, Montana, or Idaho wolves can be expected to wander in the near future are Oregon, eastern Washington, northern Utah and Colorado.
What has happened to B45 since her return to Idaho? She has migrated 2/3 the way back to Oregon, but may have settled for a time in the South Fork of the Salmon River. She was last located in the drainage of the Secesh River, a tributary of the South Fork. This is good habitat and a place where a wolf pack is yet to form in Idaho. On the other hand, the South Fork flows into the main fork of the Salmon, which runs into the Snake River in Hells Canyon -- the Idaho/Oregon border.
Note: I saw a photo of B45. She is a very handsome wolf.
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