New Mexico Central

Wildlife Roundup Disaster: Wolf Pulls Gun, Dozens Injured

by John Weckerle

Wildlife West founder Roger Alink briefs volunteers before the roundup.

Okay, okay – there was no canine carbine activity at this morning’s wolf roundup at Wildlife West Nature Park.  But right from the beginning, it was clear that there was trouble brewing.  Big, dangerous, snarling, ripping-the-meat-off-of-human-bones^* trouble.

Well, maybe not, but there could have been.  Maybe.  If we’d had a dire wolf instead of our own Mexican gray wolf.

The morning began at “oh-dark-thirty” (a curious expression that generally describes a time significantly later than your editor’s normal second cup of coffee) – 6:30 a.m. in this case. Park founder Roger Alink educated the volunteers on the issues associated with the roundup.  Mr. Alink laid out the strategy, explained why we would all be carrying various objects, and detailed the methodology we would be using to guide the wolf into the pen they had prepared.  Carrying various implements to make us more noticeable and less edible slightly less approachable, we were to go quietly, single-file southward along the west fence of the enclosure and then fan out along the southern boundary.  From there, we would slowly and non-threateningly proceed toward the capture pen (this had been established at least a week before, and Nieta had been feeding in it), convincing the wolf that the path of least resistance would be to retreat into the capture pen. With a certain degree of difficulty due to the number of people, we worked our way into the wolf habitat and proceeded silently (other than the footsteps) along the western side of the enclosure, and began lining up along the southern boundary.  And that is exactly where it all went horribly, horribly wrong.^**

Nieta paces back and forth as volunteers approach.

Or, more accurately: horribly, horribly right. Long before we had reached our appointed positions, a dark shape shot across the enclosure and settled to the ground.  As we moved a bit more, another blur streaked through the near-darkness, and Terri Alink noted that she’d seen the wolf run into the capture pen.  Karen Leach, a dedicated volunteer who works with the Park on grant writing, confirmed; she had seen Nieta run into the cage.  A minute or two later, most of us were gathered around the capture pen while the skilled volunteers using the nets and Y-poles

worked to direct her toward the

Volunteers approach Nieta and coax her toward the back of the capture pen.

carrier in which she would make her journey to Washington State.  Nieta paced nervously and briefly before submitting to the situation, and the team dedicated to putting her into the carrier – Roger, Christi, Linda Hill, Sunshine Burke, and two other volunteers – appeared to have little trouble placing getting her settled in and on her way.  As it turns out, we think that the actual roundup took up less time than a) the orientation, and b) the walk to the enclosure.

Nieta is lowered slowly into her travel carrier.

Lest anyone think that this was an unfortunately uneventful situation, let us remember this: the less trouble and action there is in a roundup of this nature, the better it is for the wolf.  These are not domesticated canines, and the act of chasing them down and transporting them can be stressful – potentially fatally so.  We were all very fortunate not only to be a part of such a wonderful event, but to have it go so smoothly.  We wish Nieta good luck on the remainder of her journey and in her new home in Washington.

^*_{Tip of the hat to Bill Watterson.}
^**_{Cut us some slack, here… This all happened before dawn on Halloween night, after all – and a wolf was involved. Moohahahaha!}

Monday, November 1st, 2010, by John Weckerle and is filed under "Edgewood, Wildlife ". You can leave a response here. Pinging is currently not allowed.