BRIEF: Tribe gets grant to study wolves

March 07–NESPELEM — A $187,000 grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will help Washington State’s  Colville Confederated Tribes’ wildlife department continue to study gray wolves and develop a plan to manage them on the reservation.

The tribes’ fish and wildlife department is now conducing howling surveys, using remote cameras, trapping and collaring wolves and using DNA sampling to track their movements and identify home ranges, a news release from the tribe said.

This winter, biologists used helicopters to locate and capture adult females from two packs currently known on the Colville Indian Reservation — the Strawberry Pack and the Nc’icn Pack.

The tribe also hired a new wildlife biologist with experience in wolf, cougar and deer research.

The tribal wildlife department asks anyone who sees a wolf to call 722-7681, or fill out a wolf report form at colvilletribes.com.

Reach K.C. Mehaffey at 509-997-2512 or [email protected]. Read her blog An Apple a Day or follow her on Twitter at @KCMehaffeyWW.