Colorado Wolf
AND WILDLIFE CENTER MAY 2017
Raksha and Isha celebrated their 2nd birthday on May 14th
THE STUDY OF WOLF FUR
CERTIFIED BY THE
The Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization certified by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). Look for this logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things.
The Animal Science students at the Ellicottville Career and Technical Education Center in Western New York are conducting a research project involving the study of the structure and composition of wolf fur. Under the direction of Kristina Ellis, Animal Science Instructor and Cathleen Woods, Science Teacher, the students are using the Phenom Scanning Electron Microscope to study Na’vi’s wolf hair. The Ellicottville Career and Tech Center has a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) that gives students the opportunity to produce micro to nanoscale images of a sample by scanning it with a focused beam of electrons. The high-resolution, three-dimensional images produced by SEMs provide topographical, morphological and compositional information that makes them invaluable in a variety of science applications.
The contents of the material we include in our newsletter does not necessarily reflect the views of Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center. We collect information from sources that are from other organizations, the web, news feeds, and/or other sources. We choose articles that are in the related field of education and conservation.
Kaylin Wilber and Heidi Yocum are prepping the wolf hair sample for imaging by the SEM.
WOLVES HAVE TWO LAYERS OF FUR Guard Hair of Na’vi This is a guard hair from Na’vi’s outer layer. The outer layer is made of long and stiff guard hairs that repel water, snow and dirt. This layer contains pigment and gives the wolf’s coat its color. The guard hair width is 90 micrometers which is about 1/100th the size of your fingernail.
Undercoat Hair of Na’vi This is a single hair from Na’vi’s undercoat. The undercoat is made of soft and thick fur used for insulation. The undercoat hair width was determined to be 30 micrometers. Students made note of the structural differences in the cuticle of the guard hair verses the undercoat hair as well as how these variations may contribute to each hair’s specific function. The average composition of normal hair/fur is composed of 45.2 % carbon, 27.9% oxygen, 15.1% nitrogen and 5.2% sulfur. These various elements found in the hair/fur make up keratin, a structural protein. Students used an Elemental Analysis feature of the SEM microscope to determine elements found in the wolf hair. The percentages matched closely to the average composition of these elements in keratin.
Dylan Williams is using the SEM to image the wolf hair and observe the structure of the guard hair cuticle.
Element Number
Element Symbol
Element Name
Weight Concentration
6 C Carbon 28.5 8 O Oxygen 8.8 7 N Nitrogen 9.8 16 S Sulfur 3.9
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This has been a wonderful project for the Animal Science students as they learn more about the majestic wolves through technology and research as well as educate others about this glorious species. COLORADO WOLF AND WILDLIFE CENTER | 3 |
ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE • The illegal wildlife trade is international—wildlife & animal parts are trafficked much like illegal drugs & arms • Estimated to be a multibillion-dollar business involving the unlawful harvest of and trade in live animals & plants or parts and products derived from them (fws.gov) • Driven by high profit margins & high prices paid for rare species • Often low risk for networkers due to weak judicial systems, gaps in protections & light sentences • Wildlife is traded as skins, leather goods or souvenirs; as food or traditional medicine; as pets, and many other forms • Other examples: illegal logging of protected forests to supply for exotic woods, illegal fishing of endangered marine life for food, and the poaching of elephants to supply demand for ivory • Over the past 40 years alone, nearly 52% of the world’s wildlife has been wiped out of existence. Scientists have declared that we are currently in the midst of the planet’s sixth period of mass extinction. The illegal wildlife trade is a mass contributor to this due to its unsustainability. (onegreenplanet.org)
Impacts of the Trade • Altering livelihoods: Local wildlife is considered an important resource by many communities in the developing world (WWF) • Interruption of nature: Overexploitation of species affects the balances of our marine & land systems (WWF) • Invasive species: Many invasive species have been purposely introduced by wildlife traders or buyers. The invasive species prey on or compete with native species and threaten the balance of ecosystems. (WWF) • Incidental killing of non-target species: Many traps and methods of catching wildlife is non discriminatory. (WWF)
Amarok’s Story Amarok is the newest member of our CWWC pack. He was rescued by a Columbian zoo after being found to be a part of the illegal wildlife trade. We are hoping he will not only be a great ambassador for his species but also a mate to our lone wolf Koda.
Wolves can be shot on sight in most of Wyoming after state takes over management Christine Peterson 307-746-3121 Christine.Peterson@trib.com
Wyoming assumed management once again of wolves within its borders, and those apex predators wandering outside the northwest corner of the state can be shot on sight. The Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., entered its final order in favor of Wyoming in a lawsuit that landed wolves back on the endangered species list in 2014. The court announced in early March that it had upheld the state’s plan but had not issued its final order. Tuesday’s decision is what Wyoming wolf managers hope is the last legal battle in a roller-coaster legal process. “All indications are that this decision shows once again that Wyoming’s plan is a sound management plan,” said Brian Nesvik, chief of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s wildlife division. “They will remain in the hands of state management. For Wyoming this is, again, this is a time for us to celebrate. This is a good thing for Wyoming to be able to take on another wildlife resource.” No changes were made to Wyoming’s wolf management plan from when the state oversaw the carnivores between 2012 and 2014, Nesvik said. That means Wyoming will manage the 100 wolves and 10 breeding pairs outside of Yellowstone National Park and the Wind River Reservation. Wolves in 85 percent of the state are considered a predator and can be shot on sight, similar to coyotes. They are classified as a trophy animal in the northwest corner of the state and subject to fall hunting seasons. Those seasons have not yet been set, Nesvik said, adding that wolves in those areas cannot be hunted right now. The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission will set those seasons after a public comment period.
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A coalition of environmental groups sued Wyoming in 2012 over the state’s management plan. A representative for the group said in early March the coalition was disappointed with the D.C. court’s ruling, said Tim Preso, an attorney for Earthjustice, a nonprofit law firm representing Defenders of Wildlife and several other environmental groups who filed suit against the state. Earthjustice’s lawyers argued, essentially, that Wyoming’s plan to maintain a buffer of more wolves than the required amount was not legally binding and insufficient under the Endangered Species Act. The court ruled that Wyoming’s plan was adequate, and environmental groups did not appeal the decision. Preliminary estimates showed Wyoming had about 240 wolves at the end of 2016, Tyler Abbott, Wyoming field supervisor for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, told the Star-Tribune in March. The feds killed about 115 wolves in 2016 because of livestock depredations, he said. In 2015, the service killed about 54 wolves. Because of the high number of wolves killed by the Fish and Wildlife Service, Nesvik estimates hunting season quotas this fall will be similar to those before wolves went back on the list.
In 2012, 42 wolves were killed by hunters in the state’s trophy area and 25 were killed in the rest of the state. The next year, 24 wolves were shot in the trophy area and 39 taken in the rest of the state.
Gov. Matt Mead expressed his satisfaction with the court’s decision in a news release sent Tuesday evening. “I am delighted that the Circuit Court recognized Wyoming’s commitment to manage a recovered wolf population,” Mead said. “Our wolf management plan is a result of years of hard work by people across Wyoming. We recognize the need to maintain a healthy wolf population.”
Wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone in 1995. They have been off the endangered species list in Montana and Idaho since 2011.
Big thanks, for what you do for the wolves....... Hi Darlene, Michelle, Diane & Everybody else at CWWC. I want to thank you for a wonderful evening last week, when my young colleague and I attended the 7PM tour. From the first response from Diane on the phone - to hearing Michelle fire off an encyclopedia of wolf-facts (without missing a beat OR a single fact!) and meeting the passionate Darlene (and her sister). It was ALL a wonderful & inspiring experience. I have worked with wolves, both captive & wild, for 25 years and have visited a great many facilities with wolves & wolfdogs – both in the US & in Europe. I have grown extremely fond of Wolf Park, Indiana and consider it one of the best, if not THE best wolf-facility in the world. I will now ad CWWC to my list of the world’s top facilities. If I can do anything to assist CWWC in their endeavor, don’t hesitate to ask. I have educated animal professionals all over Europe in an array of topics: puppy development (including nutritional needs & the pitfalls of puppy-milk replacer), enrichment, educational programs, live-capture and safety issues etc.. I investigated the killing of a zookeeper in Sweden 2012 (by captive socialized wolves) & was the Prosecutors key witness to have the zoo prosecuted (2016) for grave negligence. I invested 4 years on this case, so we could learn from it & that it will never happen again. I will be happy to talk to the CWWC staff about it – if interested. I am currently at the IWC in Ely, MN – while Laura Kiiroja from Estonia is doing moose-research on Isle Royal. Hopefully, I will make my way back through CO next month – after spending some time with the wolf-pups at Wolf Park, IN. Keep up the GREAT work & hope to see you again. Regards Runar C Ness
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“Let’s kill em’ all, and then the mountain lions, then the bears, then the bobcats and anything else that has 4-legs. Wonder if they will only be happy to only have deer and elk after all of the predators are gone. We have not evolved yet to respect wildlife and wild places. Unfortunately killing contests and thrill kills are condoned by government agencies as they seem to be OK with all of this.” - CWWC
Wyoming Game and Fish holds meetings on gray wolf hunting By Jeremy Downing/Press Release
these regulation proposals: Cheyenne, Wyo. - Gray wolves were recently returned In addition to proposed gray wolf hunting regulations to state management, and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is again leading these efother draft regulations may be discussed at these meetings. forts. As was the case in 2012 and 2013 Wolves outside the Trophy Game Manwhen Game and Fish led management, agement Area are considered predatory the department is proposing gray wolf animals as defined in state law and therehunting seasons within the Trophy fore can be harvested. Any wolf harvestGame Management Area. Written comments ed in the predator zone must be checked Game and Fish is holding public meeton gray wolf hunting in to the Game and Fish within 10 days ings on the proposed 2017 gray wolf of harvest. The department does not hunting seasons and has opened a regulations shall manage for population viability outside comment period to gather public inbe accepted through the Trophy Game Management Area as put. This timing allows for the final 5 p.m. June 19 wolves that occur in these areas are more proposal to go to the Wyoming Game at public meetings, likely to be involved in conflicts. and Fish Commission at its regularly online, or by mail at: Copies of the proposed regulations are scheduled July meeting. available on the Game and Fish website “We have developed a conservative Wyoming Game and at the address above in accordance hunting season framework in the Troand Fish Department, with Chapter 1 Regulation Governing phy Game Area for the public to conRegulations Access to Public Records. sider and provide comments. Our track 3030 Energy Lane, Written comments shall be presented to record in 2012 and 2013 shows that Casper, WY 82604 the Game and Fish Commission prior this approach will ensure we maintain to the public hearing at their July 18a recovered population of wolves while providing opportunity for those who 20 meeting in Afton at the Afton Civic Center. want to hunt gray wolves,” said Doug The Game and Fish Department supports the AmeriBrimeyer, deputy chief of the Game and Fish’s wildlife cans with Disabilities Act. Every effort will be made for division. reasonable accommodations by contacting the nearest All interested parties are encouraged to attend one of Game and Fish office. the public meetings to be held across the state discussing
BE A VOICE
READING SUGGESTIONS: The New Threat to Wolves in and Around Yellowstone https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/01/science/wolves-hunting-yellowstone-national-park.html?_r=1 Battling the Odds Against Wolf Reintroduction https://longreads.com/2017/05/01/battling-the-odds-against-wolf-reintroduction/ Africa’s Maasai Tribe Faces Threat of Extinction The Maasai are one of the most culturally distinct tribes in Africa. They can be found in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania but their nomadic way of life is under threat. Read more at: http://flip.it/COZ585 Arnold Schwarzenegger Shares a Poignant Message About Ivory Read more at: http://flip.it/YHDY.O
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Midwest wolves may find themselves in the crosshairs again By STEVE KARNOWSKI Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS — Gray wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan could again find themselves in hunters’ crosshairs — possibly as soon as this fall if federal protections are removed for the predators. A ruling is expected soon from an appeals court that recently lifted protections for wolves in Wyoming. In Congress, wolf-hunting supporters aren’t giving up even though a Minnesota representative was instrumental in killing an effort that would have allowed the three western Great Lakes states to resume wolf hunting. Gray wolves were once hunted to the brink of extinction in most of the country, but they recovered under Endangered Species Act protections and reintroduction programs. They now number over 5,500 in the lower 48 states, including nearly 3,800 in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has repeatedly tried to remove wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan states from the endangered species list, but courts have stymied those efforts. Now, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is looking at the issue. The same appeals court in March took wolves off the list in Wyoming. Wisconsin and Minnesota each held three wolf seasons before a federal judge put their wolves back on the list in December 2014. Michigan held one. Backed by farm groups upset about depredation on livestock, and hunters who would like the chance to bag a wolf, lawmakers from the region have tried to attach riders to various bills in Congress that would “delist” wolves, return management responsibilities to the states and bar further court challenges. The latest effort failed when congressional negotiators dropped that language from a $1.1 trillion spending bill that President Donald Trump signed Friday. Democratic U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, who represents an urban-suburban district in the Twin Cities, took credit, putting her at odds with rural lawmakers from the Upper Midwest, including Minnesota Democratic Rep. Collin Peterson. Peterson said he anticipates “several other opportunities” to pass the rider. But if the appeals court rules as it did in the Wyoming case,
there may be no need. Lawyers on both sides said the Wyoming decision doesn’t necessarily foreshadow how the court will rule next. The two cases are similar “at the 50,000 foot level” because they both involve “delisting” wolves in specific regions, though there are differences in the details, said James Lister, who argued the Great Lakes case for pro-hunting groups, including the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation and the National Rifle Association. Ralph Henry, litigation director for The Humane Society of the United States, who argued the opposite side, stressed the differences. The Wyoming case hinged on whether that state’s management plan provided adequate protections, he said. The Great Lakes case focused on the process the U.S. government used for taking the three states’ wolves off the list when the animals haven’t spread enough to repopulate other states in their former range, he said. Whether Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan could hold wolf seasons this fall would depend in part on how soon the court rules. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources can’t make plans unless it’s certain wolves will be coming off the list, said Dan Stark, the agency’s large carnivore specialist. It would take time to publish the rules and set up a permit lottery, he said, but it might be possible to speed the process. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources spokesman Jim Dick declined to speculate. “State law requires us to hold a harvest season if wolf management is returned to the states,” he said. “We are prepared to respond to a change in listing status, if and when it happens, whether it comes through congressional action or through a court ruling.” Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed a law in December authorizing wolf hunting if Congress or the courts permit, but the state’s Natural Resources Commission has the final say. Michigan Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Brian Roell said his agency would need to know by sometime in June to make it work. “When you combine all the nuances it’s not as simple as, ‘OK, they’re off the list, let’s have a hunting season,’” he said.
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New changes at CWWC
CONSERVATION CORNER
RED panda By Shelby - CWWC staff member
Red Pandas are one of the poster species for endangerment. Physically, they are small mammals, about the size of the domestic cat. They could be described in layman’s terms as a mix between a tiny bear and a cat. However, they are only living species of the genus Ailurus, and are more closely related to weasels, skunks, and raccoons. These animals only weigh about 6-13 pounds, and are regarded as being both very playful, and very strong for their body size. The Red Panda has a massive tail, that they use for warmth and balance, also similar to the domestic house cat. They are primarily found in the East Himalayas and most of their lives are spent residing high in the trees. Red Pandas are currently on the Endangered Species List and there are only approximately 10,000 left still in the wild. A lot of different challenges face these wonderful creatures in their fight for species survival. The most harmful factors that contribute to their population decline are poaching, deforestation, and unintentional
killings. Some individuals poach these animals, for their very distinctive furs, or to be sold in the illegal wildlife trade. There are many internet videos circulating that show how cute and curious these animals can be. Unfortunately, this tends to lead to the assumption that Red Pandas would make wonderful pets and so they are captured illegally and sold as exotic pets. These animals are also facing the rapid loss of their natural habitat, due to the demand for lumber and the increasing agricultural expansion. Red Pandas also regularly get killed in indiscriminate traps, meant for other animals such as wild pigs and deer. Indiscriminate traps, such as the steel leg hold trap and conibear trap, can (and do) kill any animal that comes across them. Regrettably, this holds particularly true to many species that are categorized as Endangered. Red Pandas are beautiful creatures. It is hard to look upon one and not feel a sense of wonderment and attraction. Even though I do love the wolf, personally, Red Pandas are my favorite animal. It would be a huge disservice to the world, and a major tragedy to have this remarkable species join many other species in extinction status. If you want to learn more about Red Pandas, research the WWF website for more information and to find out ways that you can help to improve their survival.
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References: www.worldwildlife.org/species/ red-panda www.nationalgeographic.com/ animals/mammals/r/red-panda/
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ADOPTION CORNER
Available from TCRAS · Teller County Regional Animal Shelter
Available from San Luis Valley Animal Welfare Society
tcrascolorado.com · 719.686.7707 · NO-KILL shelter in Divide, Colorado
slvaws.org · 719.587.woof (9663) · Non-Profit NO-KILL Shelter Maggie and Chance need a home together. They are still with the owner, but he is on work trips much of the time. Chance is a 3 year old husky/malamute; Maggie, 3-year-old Gordon Setter/Australian Cattle Dog. Both current on vaccinations, fixed. House trained, obedience trained, easy dogs who will need lots of exercise. Doggie door required.
AGE: 2 y 0 m 25 d SEX: Female/Spayed Red Shepherd/Siberian Husky Hi. My name is Coco. I came all the way from Texas to find my new home. I am a stunning red-head with lots of love and kisses for my new family. I love to go for hikes. I know my house manners. All I need is for my new family to come and whisk me to my new home. Ready?...I am.
AGE: 8 y 1 m 3 d SEX: Female/Spayed Grey/White Domestic Longhair/Mix Hello. My name is Baby Bop or Baby for short. I am a tiny girl looking for a forever home. I can be shy at first, but once we get to know each other, I will be a great lap warmer. I have lived with other cats. I know my house manners. All I need now is a home and family. Please come meet me so we can start our new lives together.
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Maximus lives up to his name. He is an 80 pound loving, slobbering Neapolitan Mastiff, 3 years old, good with kids. We have raised enough money for Maximus to get a TPLO (tibial-plateau-leveling-osteotomy). We are still waiting for the surgery as we cannot find a foster/owner who is willing to rehabilitate him after surgery. He needs someone strong to lift him in his sling the first week; after that he can walk on his own. Rehab would be 12 weeks, mostly limiting activity. He is best as an only dog; however, he has made a heeler dog friend, Sonny, at the shelter and they are very attached.
Milkshake lovin’ it. She lives up to her name and shakes all over when she thinks she will get some attention. We have had her 1 1/2 years at the shelter. She loves the cool weather and is best as an only dog. 5 years old, spayed, vacc’s, bulldog mix.
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A BIG “THANK YOU” to all of the people of CWWC who helped make our grueling AZA inspection successful. It was months of hard work and everyone did an awesome job. Also a big thank you to Rick who made a campfire breakfast to die for.
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