Posted on 12/10/2006 11:16:52 AM PST by FLOutdoorsman
BILLINGS, Mont. -- Was it a wolf, or wasn't it?
The mysterious, sheep-killing predator shot and killed a month ago between Jordan and Circle was initially thought to be a wolf.
But now, wildlife officials aren't so sure.
"Frankly, it has mixed characteristics," said Carolyn Sime, head of the wolf program for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Some clues indicate that it's not a wolf from among the 1,200 or so that live in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. The animal shot in Garfield County in early November had shades of orange, red and yellow in its fur, unlike the Northern Rockies wolves, which tend more toward browns, blacks and grays.
The orangish coat may be more indicative of wolves that roam the upper Great Lakes region, Sime said.
The animal also had long claws and teeth in good condition, somewhat unusual for a 4-year-old wolf, raising the possibility it might be a hybrid that had spent some time in captivity, Sime said.
On the other hand, the wolf was fairly large at 106 pounds with a big head and hunting skills, which may suggest it was wild, Sime said.
"Right now," Sime said, "we're just as curious as everyone else."
Whatever it was, it had landowners in McCone, Garfield and Dawson counties on alert for months. About 120 sheep were killed and others were hurt in a series of attacks that started about a year ago.
The animal roamed wide swaths of the landscape, occasionally attacking sheep before moving on only to circle back later. Several landowners were given permits to shoot if it was seen attacking livestock but it was never caught in the act.
The animal eluded trackers for months until this fall, when footprints were spotted in deep snow. Agents with Wildlife Services shot it from the air Nov. 2.
The animal was initially reported as a wolf, but closer inspection raised concerns about the identification.
Muscle tissue has been sent to the University of California Los Angeles, where scientists have been analyzing DNA from the Northern Rockies wolf population and putting together a sort of family tree.
The animal's carcass was sent to the National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Ore., for genetic analysis.
The work could take several months to complete.
Sime said that if the animal is a wolf that came in from the Rockies or Canada or the upper Midwest, the genetic testing should provide clear evidence. It wouldn't be the first time that a wolf has wandered hundreds of miles. In recent years, wolves from Yellowstone have been found in Utah and Colorado.
"If it's neither of those, the question becomes 'OK, what is this animal and where is it from?"' Sime said. "The uncertainty level goes up a lot."
cryptozoology/ Manbearpig alert
I think this Chupracaba is now in Venezuela.
Lucky kids.The lab deserves a medal.Canines of any breed can be especially agressive when in a pack.I spent a few months in upstate(rural)NY,and my uncle said packs of domestic dogs will chase down full grown deer in winter.Solution-shoot on sight.
I guess maybe I missed something.
Wild life authorities did the shooting. Where it came from is of interest to wildlife people only.
If it is a genuine wolf, its dead. If its a wolf/dog hybrid its still dead (seems most likely considering the pelt colors).
The only possible bad outcome is if it is some unidentified species which is a highly unlikely outcome.
Not a big conspiracy fan or any nonsense like that. Makes one go hhmmm after having dealt with government, and hearing either a lie, or stupid in motion, in the past. Sort of a "trust, but verify" view in dealing with a governmental agency in the middle of Oregon's green zone. I'm also aware that great people live in the area too, just trying to keep a close eye out.
I have a friend who likes goats for pets. Here's how the article looked when I sent it to him.
Predator might not be goat
By MIKE STARK
Billings Gazette Saturday, December 09, 2006
BILLINGS, Mont. -- Was it a goat, or wasn't it?
The mysterious, sheep-killing predator shot and killed a month ago between Jordan and Circle was initially thought to be a goat.
But now, wildlife officials aren't so sure.
"Frankly, it has mixed characteristics," said Carolyn Sime, head of the goat program for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Some clues indicate that it's not a goat from among the 1,200 or so that live in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. The animal shot in Garfield County in early November had shades of orange, red and yellow in its fur, unlike the Northern Rockies mountain goats, which tend more toward browns, blacks and grays.
The orangish coat may be more indicative of goats that roam the upper Great Lakes region, Sime said.
I understand. After that time they planted the endangered bobcat (or was it lynx) hair a few years ago.
Don't be....I've been to the Lab. Ultra modern and state of the art in every way. The people that work there are very down to earth and not your typical Ashlander from Portland/SF area libs. They do excellent science.
Wasn't it in Oregon that the US Wildlife Service was caught trying to "salt" non-idigeneous fur for some reason or another?
That's a sigh of relief! I recognize your handle from other threads, and happy to hear from someone who's actually been to the facility. Be inteeresting to hear what they come up with. Don't know if will amount to anything, but could you post , if in fact, it makes a paper that isn't on the forbidden list?
Strange.No fur?Mange?Know where it was found?
A Canadian lynx heads for the woods after her release near South Fork, Colo.
U.S. Forest Service officials leapt into damage-control mode yesterday after a disclosure that federal and state employees on Washington public lands had sent bogus lynx-hair samples to a lab.
Click here for the rest of the story.
Don't even get me oing on the BS on the desert turtles...
Mexican wolf doing what American wolfs won't do?
LOL! You're right.
Yep. Treat 'em like a terrorist - shoot 'em before they can breed.
This is where I got the info.
Killed in Texas in July of 2004
scroll down to 'sightings'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chupacabra
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.