In brief: Photo may show first wolf in 80 years at Grand Canyon

A tourist photograph of a radio-collared canine is thought to be the first gray wolf to grace the North Rim of the Grand Canyon since the 1940s.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has sent a team to try capturing the animal to verify its species and origin, although federal biologists are assuming it is a wolf unless otherwise determined, an agency spokeswoman said.

The agency later issued a statement saying a collared “wolf-like” animal had repeatedly been observed and photographed on U.S. forest land just north of Grand Canyon National Park, and that wildlife officials were “working to confirm whether the animal is a wolf or wolf-dog hybrid.”

Several photos of the animal were taken over the weekend by a Grand Canyon park visitor who shared them with conservation activists and park staff, according to the Center for Biological Diversity, which first made the findings public.

A few wolves that have been captured and radio-collared in states such as Washington, Idaho and Oregon have been shown to launch out on their own for hundreds and even thousands of miles.  Sometimes the radio transmitters fail or run out of battery power so no signal can be received to confirm the wolf’s identity. 

Any wolf roaming north-central Arizona would be protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

If confirmed to be a western gray wolf, it would presumably have ventured hundreds of miles south from the Northern Rockies, where the animals were reintroduced in the 1990s and are estimated to number nearly 1,700.

Evergreen break-in

Evergreen Archery Club, a local nonprofit organization, experienced a break-in between the hours of 4 p.m. Oct. 25 and 9 a.m. Oct. 26 at its range on the eastern edge of Palisades Park. The shed that holds its 3-D animal target herd was wrenched open and 18 targets were stolen. The gate lock was compromised with bolt cutters and a significant effort was put forth to open the target shed. The club is asking the community to keep an eye open for people trying to sell these items. EAC contact: eacpresident@outlook.com

State seeks advisors

Nominations to fill vacancies on citizen advisory panels dealing with hunting, fishing and wolf management are being taken by the Washington Department of Fish and wildlife.

• Wolf Advisory Group, a panel of up to 12 members representing various interests that meets at least four times a year to make recommendations to guide the department’s implementation of the 2011 state Wolf Conservation and Management Plan. Deadline to apply: Nov. 14. Info: wdfw.wa.gov/about/advisory/wag.

• Master Hunter Advisory Group, which represents master hunters statewide and advises WDFW on issues and opportunities affecting master hunters and the Master Hunter Permit Program. Deadline to apply, Nov. 30. Info: wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/masterhunter.

• Steelhead/Cutthroat Policy Advisory Group, which advises the department on steelhead and anadromous cutthroat management issues. Info: Bob Leland, robert.leland@dfw.wa.gov or (360) 902-2817.

• Columbia-Snake River advisory group, which help develop recommendations for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and smelt fisheries. Members are chosen to represent all aspects of the Northwest fishing industry, including sport and commercial. Info: 1.usa.gov/1tAvivS.

Yocum access changed

Motor vehicle access to Yocum Lake from Forest Service Road Coachman Road was closed this week in an effort to curb the abuses to the land and lake in recent years, the Colville National Forest announced.

Vehicle access to the lake near Newport will still be available via the Yocum Lake County Road on the south end of the lake.

“The purpose of the vehicle access closure is to reduce sediment input and human waste issues at Yocum Lake,” forest officials said in a media release. ”Approximately a half mile of the eastern end of Forest Road 190096 (known as Coachman Road) will be obliterated and no longer accessible by vehicle on the north end of the lake.”

Dispersed campsites on the west and north end of the lake are still available and are approximately a half-mile walk from the south end of the lake. 

Fly-tying class

A steelhead tube fly tying class is set for Tuesday, 6-9 p.m. at Silver Bow Fly Shop, 13210 E. Indiana Ave. in Spokane Valley.

Cost: $65. Info: 924-9998.