wdfw injury/mortality investigation report form · gps data from the collared togo wolf shows a...

WDFW Injury/Mortality Investigation Report Form

Database record #: XX IRF reference #: XX

Date report received: 08-18-2018 Date investigated: 08-18-2018

WDFW personnel: WDFW Staff

Summarize initial report:

On 08-18-2018, WDFW staff received a call about an injured calf in north Ferry County. The calf was discovered on a USFS Grazing allotment. The injured calf was caught and transported off the USFS grazing allotment to a private holding pen. The Ferry County Wildlife Specialist and the USFS District Ranger were both notified of the depredation event. WDFW staff conducted a field examination of the injured calf with the help of a squeeze chute. Present during the examination were the producers and Ferry County Wildlife Specialist. Location of incident:

Ferry County

Incident GPS coordinates (Lat/Long): N48.95631/W118.461401

Datum: WGS84 GPS coordinates are: Actual Approximate

Land status: USFS BLM State Private Other:

Type of pasture/enclosure incident occurred in and estimated distance to nearest occupied structure?

The calf was discovered on a USFS grazing allotment. The nearest occupied dwelling is a ½ mile away.

____________________________________________________________________________________

General cover classification: Open/Rangeland Brush Lightly forested Heavily forested

Are attractants present near location of incident?

There were no attractants present.

Affected animal(s) and status:

4 ½ month old Angus calf. Injured. Site description/physical evidence present:

The injured calf was discovered with a group of cattle miles from where they were supposed to be on the allotment. There was no attack scene or physical evidence such as tracks or scat to look for. Physical evidence of an attack was present on the injured calf.

WDFW LIVESTOCK INJURY/MORTALITY INVESTIGATION FORM

Description and location of injuries:

The injured calf had bite lacerations and bite puncture wounds to the outside lower left hindquarter, the left hamstring, the inside of the left hock and the groin area. Adjacent to the bite puncture wounds on the hamstring and groin was hemorrhaging to the underlying tissue as indicated by severe swelling. Infection had also set in on two of the bite puncture wounds.

Figure 1. XX

Source of injuries: Black bear Cougar Wolf Dom canine Structural Unknown (check one) Grizzly bear Bobcat Coyote Unk predator Other ______________

Injury/mortality classification:

Confirmed wolf depredation. Injured.


Classification justification:

The injured calf had bite lacerations and bite puncture wounds to the outside lower left hindquarter, the left hamstring, the inside of the left hock and the groin area. Adjacent to the bite puncture wounds on the hamstring and groin was hemorrhaging to the underlying tissue as indicated by severe swelling. Infection had also set in on two of the bite puncture wounds. The bite lacerations, bite puncture wounds and tissue hemorrhaging adjacent to the puncture wounds are consistent with a signature style wolf attack on cattle. The cattle are within the home range of the Togo wolf pack. GPS collar data from a member of the Togo wolf pack has several points in the area the cattle are grazing. The Togo wolf pack was responsible for six confirmed cattle depredation events since the fall of 2017 to date.


Photograph No 1. Shows the lower left hamstring and the groin areas of the calf when first discovered. In the photograph are bite puncture wounds.


Photograph No 2. Shows the bite puncture wounds to the left hamstring and groin from a backside angle.


Photograph No 3. Shows the shaved portion of the lower left hindquarter and the left hamstring with bite lacerations and bite puncture wounds. The photograph also shows hemorrhaging to the underlying tissue adjacent to the bite puncture wounds.


Photograph No 4. Shows a close up of Photograph No 3 and the bite lacerations and bite puncture wounds. The ruler was used a reference guide.


Photograph No 5. Shows the shaved left hock with bite lacerations and bite puncture wounds.


Photograph No 6. Shows the shaved area of the inside left hindquarter with a severely infected bite puncture wound.


Photograph No 7. Shows a close-up of Photograph No 6 and the infected bite puncture wound.


Photograph No 8. Shows the scrotum with a bite puncture wound. This bite puncture wound was also infected.


Photograph No 9. Shows the shaved portion of the inside left hock with bite lacerations and bite puncture wounds.


Photograph No 10. Shows the shaved lower left hindquarter with bite lacerations, bite puncture wounds and the hemorrhaged tissue. The ruler was used a reference guide.


Photograph No 11. Shows the bite lacerations and bite puncture wounds to the lower left hindquarter and left hamstring with a ruler as a reference guide. Also under the ruler is the hemorrhaged tissue.


Database record #: XX IRF reference #: XX


WDFW personnel: WDFW Staff

Summarize initial report:

On 08-09-2018, WDFW staff were notified of a possible non-fatal wolf/calf depredation event in Ferry

County. The Ferry County Sheriff and USFS District Ranger were both notified of the incident. The

injured calf was discovered north of the Boulder Creek Road in Ferry County by WDFW contract range

riders. The cow/calf pair were then taken off of the open range and placed in a secure location for the

night at a private ranch. On 08-10-2018, WDFW staff conducted a field examination of the injured calf.

Present during the investigation were the producers and the Ferry County Wildlife Specialist.

Location of incident:

Ferry County. USFS Grazing Allotment.

Incident GPS coordinates (Lat/Long): N48.899819 / W118.394541

Datum: WGS84 GPS coordinates are: Actual Approximate


Type of pasture/enclosure incident occurred in and estimated distance to nearest occupied

structure?

The area the calf was discovered in is a USFS Grazing Allotment. The immediate area is a recent burn

with heavy burned timber and new growth vegetation and grass. The closest occupied dwelling is 6 miles

away.


Are attractants present near location of incident?

There were no attractants present.

Affected animal(s) and status:

One 4 /12 month old Angus calf. Injured.

Site description/physical evidence present:

No attack site was discovered. Tracks of at least two wolves have been discovered along the USFS road

where the calf was found. GPS data from the collared Togo wolf shows a point on 08-07-2018, two miles

away from where the calf was discovered.


Description and location of injuries:

The Angus calf had bite lacerations to the left flank, the front of the lower left hindquarter, the left groin

and both left and right hamstrings. There were also bite puncture wounds to the left groin. Tissue

swelling/hemorrhaging was observed adjacent to the left groin bite puncture wounds. A large infected

area was observed on the left flank along with an open wound. The bite lacerations showed stages of

scabbing and the infected area indicate the attack occurred at a minimum of two days prior to discovery.

All of the bite lacerations and bite puncture wounds were shaved for closer examination and

photographed. Other high target areas were physically examined. No injuries were detected.

Figure 1. XX

Source of injuries: Black bear Cougar Wolf Dom canine Structural Unknown

(check one) Grizzly bear Bobcat Coyote Unk predator Other ______________

Injury/mortality classification:

Confirmed Wolf Depredation. Injury


Classification justification:

The Angus calf had bite lacerations to the left flank, the front of the lower left hindquarter, the left groin

and both left and right hamstrings. There were also bite puncture wounds to the left groin. Tissue

swelling/hemorrhaging was observed adjacent to the left groin bite puncture wounds. A large infected

area was observed on the left flank along with an open wound. The bite lacerations showed stages of

scabbing and the infected area indicate the attack occurred a minimum of two days prior to discovery. All

of the bite lacerations and bite puncture wounds were shaved for closer examination and photographed.

Other high target areas were physically examined. No injuries detected. All of the injuries discovered

during the Depredation Investigation are consistent with a signature style wolf attack. The Togo wolf pack

have been involved with five depredation events on cattle in the past 10 months. The latest depredation

event was on 08-08-2018. GPS data from the collared Togo wolf shows a point on 08-07-2018, two miles

away from where the calf was discovered.


Photograph No 1. Shows the calf in a squeeze chute with bite lacerations and an open wound to the left

flank and the front portion of the lower left hindquarter.


Photograph No 2. Shows bite lacerations and bite puncture wounds to the lower left flank and the left

groin.


Photograph No 3. Shows a close up of Photograph No 2, with bite lacerations and bite puncture wounds

to the groin.


Photograph No 4. Shows a close up of the bite lacerations and the open wound to the left flank and lower

left hindquarter.


Photograph No 5. Shows the bite lacerations to the left and right hamstring areas.


Photograph No 6. Shows a shaved close-up of the left flank, lower left hindquarter and the open wound.


Photograph No 7. Shows a shaved close-up of the bite lacerations to the left hamstring.


Photograph No 8. Shows the shaved upper left hamstring with bite lacerations.


Photograph No 9. Shows the shaved right hamstring with bite punctures and bite laceration.


Photograph No 10. Shows the groin area with bite punctures and swelling/hemorrhaging to the underlying

tissue. Also shows one large open wound.


Photograph No 11. Shows a different angle of the bite puncture wounds as shown in photograph No 10.


Database record #: 2018-08-08TogoPack_5_calf_confirmed


WDFW personnel:

Summarize initial report: On August 8, 2018 WDFW was contacted by a WDFW contracted range rider

in Ferry County about a cow carcass that was discovered. A WDFW contracted range rider had smelled

an odor thought to be of decaying flesh the day prior but was unable to locate the source. On August 8,

2018, several contract range riders did locate the cow carcass in the area that the odor was noted the day

before. The Ferry County Sheriff and WDFW management staff were notified of the pending depredation

investigation as per the 2017 Wolf-Livestock Interaction Protocol. A Ferry County Special Deputy was

also in attendance for the depredation investigation.

Location of incident: Ferry County



structure? The grazing allotment where the cow carcass was discovered consisted of mostly steep open

range and trees.

____________________________________________________________________________________


Are attractants present near location of incident? There were no known unnatural attractants in the

area.

Affected animal(s) and status: registered cow, dead.

Site description/physical evidence present: At the scene and approximately ½ mile from the carcass,

several wolf tracks were noted. Within 10 yards of the carcass, a sign of a struggle was also noted.

Description and location of injuries: The cow carcass had visible injuries from the throat descending

ventrally to the knee. Additional external injuries were noted on the rear of the body including: the rear

flank, the pin descending to the hock. The tail descending to the switch also had visible injuries. After

shaving both front and rear locations, bite lacerations were noted in all areas. Hemorrhaging was

associated with front and rear lacerations into the muscle tissue. Please see Figures 1-4.

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Figure 1. Locations of injuries (red circles) to a cow investigated in Ferry County on August 8, 2018.



Injury/mortality classification: Confirmed Wolf Depredation

Classification justification: After a field necropsy of the cow and examination of the scene, it was

determined to be a Confirmed Wolf Depredation. After examination of the Togo collar data, there were

several locations within one mile of where the cow carcass was discovered starting on August 4, 2018.

The determination was based on bite lacerations with associated hemorrhaging, recent wolf activity in the

area, wolf sign in the area, and a location with a sign of struggle near the carcass. It was unclear how long

the cow had been dead because of recent hot weather and the cooler location where the carcass was

discovered. However, based on decomposition, collar data locations, ambient temperatures, and the range

rider account from August 7, 2018 it is suspected that the cow had been dead for at least 48 hours prior to

the depredation investigation.

Due to the precarious location of the cow carcass, cattle being moved out the area, cattle water troughs

away from the carcass location, and bear sightings in the area it was determined that fladry, use of lye, or

removal were not applicable for disposable of this carcass. The cow carcass was checked within five days

since the depredation investigation and little of the carcass remains, primarily due to scavenging of three

bears.

WDFW Enforcement IRF attached.


Figure 2. A cow carcass discovered in Ferry County and investigated on August 8, 2018.

Figure 3. Injuries, after shaving, of a cow carcass found in Ferry County and investigated on August 8, 2018.


Figure 4. Injuries to the tail of a cow carcass discovered in Ferry County and investigated on August 8, 2018.


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WASHINGTON FISH AND WILDLIFE

Incident Report FormWashington Department of Fish & Wildlife Police

FRANKLIN COUNTY

Related Case Number

WA-18-004870Incident Number

Incident Occurred On/BetweenIncident Type

ESA/PROTECTED SPECIES VIOLATIONArea Area 2

Address Address 2 / X-Street

County

FERRYWACity State Zip Code

INVOLVED PERSON(S)

5/20/2018

Names (Last, First Middle)

DOB Age

Race Sex

Phone

Address

Driver's License StWA

Involvement

Height Weight Hair Eyes

OWNER / LANDOWNER

MALEM

Address 2

Comment

Names (Last, First Middle)

DOB Age

Race Sex

Phone

Address

Driver's License

PSt

WA

Involvement

Height Weight Hair Eyes

MENTIONED

M

Address 2

Comment

WDFW OFFICERS

DEPARTMENT OF FISH & WILDLIFE2315 N DISCOVERY PLACESPOKANE VALLEY, WA 99216-1566

Officer Work Address / Phone

WDFWIRF-02 PAGE of 2

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[11e], [11f] [11e], [11f] [11e], [11f]

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[11e], [11f] [11e], [11f] [11e], [11f] [11e], [11f]

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WASHINGTON FISH AND WILDLIFE

Incident Report FormWashington Department of Fish & Wildlife Police

FRANKLIN COUNTY

Related Case Number

WA-18-004870Incident Number

NARRATIVE

05/20/2018

ADMONITION

Officer Signature Badge # Location Date

Created by: Date Created:

WDFWIRF-02 PAGE of 2

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Scat found about 30 feet uphill from the calf carcass.


Database record #: 2017-11-09UnknownPack_calf_confirmed


WDFW personnel:

Summarize initial report: On November 8, 2017 WDFW was contacted about a producer in Ferry

County with a calf carcass that was discovered while moving cattle in a private large fenced grazing

pasture. The calf was tarped by the producer, hired hand, and range rider for the pending investigation.

Wolf tracks were reported at the scene. The Ferry County Sheriff and WDFW management staff were

notified of the pending depredation investigation as per the 2017 Wolf-Livestock Interaction Protocol. A

Ferry County Deputy and WDFW Contracted Range Rider was also in attendance for the depredation

investigation.




structure? The fenced grazing pasture where the calf carcass was discovered consisted of mostly open

range and draws with trees.

____________________________________________________________________________________


Are attractants present near location of incident? No known unnatural attractants were present.

Affected animal(s) and status: purebred calf, dead

Site description/physical evidence present: Large canid tracks (snow covered) were noted at the scene

and signs of a struggle within 25 yards of the calf carcass (Figure 4).

Description and location of injuries: The calf had injuries to both rear legs and tail origin (Figure 1-7).

Injuries to the rear legs were located between the pin and hocks with associated hemorrhaging to the

epidermal tissue (Figure 1, 2, 4, 5, 7). Bite lacerations were also noted on the ventral side of the tail origin

(Figure 1, 6).

[11f]


Figure 1. Locations of injuries (red circles) to a calf carcass investigated in Ferry County on November 9, 2017.




Classification justification: After a field investigation and necropsy of the calf carcass, it was determined

to be a Confirmed Wolf Depredation. The determination was based on bite lacerations with associated

hemorrhaging, signs of a struggle near the calf carcass, large canid tracks near the calf carcass, recent

wolf activity in the area, and a recent confirmed wolf depredation (one week prior) in the area. Within 14

days of the discovery of the calf carcass, a wolf was removed via the “Caught in the Act” authority (WAC

220-440-080) less than three miles from where the calf carcass was discovered. Repeated reports from the

producer (including hired hand and range rider) and WDFW contracted range rider included recent wolf

howls, tracks, scat, and cattle grouping behavior in the pasture where the calf was located.

While inspecting cattle after the depredation investigation another calf, 514 (possibly 519), was noted to

have two weeping holes just below the spinal column. The producer indicated that the holes were

discovered in June 2017. The injuries were not consistent with a wildlife involved depredation.

Information on the calf was provided to the Ferry County Sheriff’s Deputy for a continued investigation

on livestock being shot in northeast Washington.

The calf carcass was removed by WDFW staff.


Figure 2. A calf carcass prior to a field necropsy in Ferry County investigated on November 9, 2017.

Figure 3. Signs of a struggle discovered within 25 yards of a calf carcass found in Ferry County investigated on

November 9, 2017.


Figure 4. Close-up view of bite laceration injuries on a calf found in Ferry County investigated on November 9,

2017.

Figure 5. Internal view of remaining hemorrhaging on the epidermal tissue associated with bite laceration injuries

from Figure 4 on a calf found in Ferry County and investigated on November 9, 2017.


Figure 6. Tail origin injuries discovered on a calf found in Ferry County and investigated on November 9, 2017.

Figure 7. Left rear leg bite lacerations discovered on a calf found in Ferry County and investigated on November 9,

2017.


Database record #: 2017-11-03UnknownPack_calf_confirmed


WDFW personnel:

Summarize initial report: On November 2, 2017 WDFW was contacted by a producer in Ferry County

about a reported injured calf discovered. A WDFW contracted range rider had heard that there was a

possible injured calf a day prior, but the calf could not be located at that time. The calf was taken to a

holding pen for the investigation. The Ferry County Sheriff and WDFW management staff were notified

of the pending depredation investigation as per the 2017 Wolf-Livestock Interaction Protocol. A Ferry

County Officer was also in attendance for the depredation investigation.




structure? The grazing pasture where the calf carcass was discovered consisted of mostly steep open

range and trees.

____________________________________________________________________________________


Are attractants present near location of incident? Attractants are unknown as the calf was injured

somewhere within the grazing location.

Affected animal(s) and status: calf. Injured.

Site description/physical evidence present: NA

Description and location of injuries: The calf had injuries to both rear flanks and on both rear legs

between the pin and hocks. Injuries on the rear flanks included bite lacerations and puncture wounds

(Figure 1, 5-6). Posterior injuries on the rear legs between the pin and hock included Stage IV full

thickness wounds (through the epidermal and dermal tissue layers down to bone in a few locations) with

purulent drainage and dry epidermal skin mostly detached (Figure 1, 6-7). Distal bite lacerations were

noted dorsally from the wound margins on both rear legs (Figure 1-3). Hemorrhaging was noted near bite

lacerations in all four locations. After the wound was cleaned and dead tissue was removed, significant

hemorrhaging was noted inside the wound, specifically around the wound margins (Figure 6-7).

[11f]


Figure 1. Locations of injuries (red circles) to a calf investigated in Ferry County on November 3, 2017.




Classification justification: After a field necropsy of the injuries to the calf, it was determined to be a

Confirmed Wolf Depredation. The determination was based on bite lacerations with associated

hemorrhaging and recent wolf activity in the area. Within seven days of the discovery of the injured calf,

a wolf was removed via the “Caught in the Act” authority (WAC 220-440-080) less than three miles from

where the calf was located. Repeated reports from the producer and WDFW contracted range rider

included recent wolf howls, tracks, scat, and cattle grouping behavior in the pasture where the calf was

located.

The calf may need to be euthanized due to the severity of its injuries.


Figure 2. Posterior injuries, after shaving, on a calf found in Ferry County investigated on November 3, 2017.

Figure 3. Close up view of bite laceration injuries on a calf found in Ferry County investigated on November 3,

2017.


Figure 4. Right rear flank injuries on a calf found in Ferry County investigated on November 3, 2017.

Figure 5. Left rear flank injuries (red circle) on a calf found in Ferry County investigated on November 3, 2017.


Figure 6. Posterior injuries, after being cleaned, on a calf found in Ferry County investigated on November 3, 2017.


Figure 7. Posterior injuries, after being cleaned, on a calf found in Ferry County investigated on November 3, 2017.

wdfw injury/mortality investigation report form · gps data from the collared togo wolf shows a...

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