Update courtesy Patrick C. Valentino of the Julian Wolf Preserve

Mexican Wolf Reintroduction Update

June 12, 1999

5 packs are in the field including 24 wolves.

Note See Position Announcement below for education booth coordinator:

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May 30 – June 12, 1999

Campbell Blue Pack (CB)

      The pair has remained together since their release in December and appears to be doing well. We are beginning a regime of backcountry monitoring on this pair to determine whether they have pups and to collect data on their food habits.

Hawks Nest Pack (HN)

      The pair and their three pups were released from the Campbell Blue pen on June 3. Alpha male #131 is the surviving member of the originally released Hawks Nest pack of six. He was recaptured and paired with female #486 from the Ladder Ranch in December. After their first release together in December, the pair split up. They were re-captured in January and held in the CB pen to facilitate bonding and whelping. They were released upon our confirmation that pups had been born and elk were calving in the area. The family remains in the vicinity of their release pen and is being fed supplementally to aid their re-entry to the wild.

Pipestem Pack (PS)

      The behavior of the pack suggests they are still tending a den with young pups. A one-mile closure around the den site was established on May 10. They continue to periodically travel several miles to a ranch house and harass the dogs. On June 9, all three members of the packwere observed in the area and a ranch dog was found with a minor bite wound on the front leg. The field staff has established temporary quarters near the ranch and is staying there at night to monitor and aversively condition the wolves any time they return.

Gavilan Pack (GV)

      The three members of the Gavilan pack and their five pups, which were released into the Horse Springs Canyon area on May 22, appear to be doing fine. The field staff has been monitoring and supplementally feeding the pack using foot travel and stock to access the backcountry.

Mule Pack (MP)

      The pair of adult wolves and their four pups, which were released into the southern part of the Blue Range Primitive Area on May 23, appear to be doing fine. The field staff has been monitoring and supplementally feeding the pack using foot travel and stock to access the backcountry.

USFWS

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Job Description:

      The California Wolf Booth Coordinator's primary responsibility is to manage the activities of the wolf education booth in California, which will be presented at both indoor and outdoor forums throughout the summer and early fall. Duties include educating the public about wolf recovery in the Rockies, promoting memberships, selling merchandise, collecting signatures on petitions, coordinating booth logistics before and during travel and exhibition, and recruiting and supervising all booth volunteers. This position also involves presenting public lectures on wolf recovery in the United States, handling inquiries about Defenders in California and numerous other tasks as assigned by supervisor. This position is temporary and will begin in mid June on a part time basis and begin full time in July through the end of September.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Plan and coordinate all daily booth activities including the identification of pertinent public events; this includes acquiring all permits and licenses necessary to attend events. The booth will travel throughout California from mid-July through September 1999.
2. Recruit, train and supervise volunteers for assistance at booths;
3. Report in writing on a weekly basis all operational activities to supervisor. This includes insuring, in cooperation with supervisor, that program budget is implemented and not exceeded and keeping records of booth expenses and all volunteers who receive stipends;
4. Coordinate flow and distribution of materials and merchandise and all fiscal activities of the booth; income and expenses will be reported weekly to supervisor using approved format;
5. Represent Defenders of Wildlife on the wolf issue, including at public lectures, as agreed upon with supervisor;
6. Conduct other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Wolf Booth Coordinator must:

1. possess excellent oral and written communication skills;
2. work well with the media and public;
3. be familiar with wolf restoration in the Rockies and Defenders' role in wolf recovery;
4. be well-organized, responsible and capable of working independently, and;
5. be willing to travel throughout California for much of the summer and some of the fall.

Please send resumes to:

Patrick Valentino
California Wolf Center
P.O. Box 1389
Julian, CA 92036-1389
email: denali@connectnet.com

Patrick C. Valentino, Esq
Phone: (619) 236-9060
Fax: (619) 236-9093
email: corporatecounsel@connectnet.com