Howlbox might help estimate wolf population in Idaho

The Associated Press By The Associated Press The Associated Press
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on June 29, 2008 at 1:17 PM, updated June 30, 2008 at 2:40 PM

A device that records wolf howls is being tested in the Idaho wilderness as a possible way to help the state meet federal guidelines required to keep gray wolves from returning to the endangered species list, state officials say.

The Howlbox is set up and broadcasts a recorded howl, then records responses from nearby wolves for the next two minutes. Biologists say it's a much cheaper method than capturing wolves and attaching radio collars to try to get wolf population estimates required by the federal government.

"We think it has some real potential to assist us, particularly in areas we have difficulty getting in to trap and radio collar," Steve Nadeau, large carnivore coordinator for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, told the Idaho Statesman.

The federal government transferred responsibility for wolf management to Idaho, Wyoming and Montana last spring following a 13-year restoration effort that has seen the animals' population soar to an estimated 1,500 wolves after the predators were largely exterminated in the U.S. outside of Alaska in the early 20th century.

However, if the wolf population in Idaho were to fall below 10 breeding pairs, or 15 over a three-year period, wolves could again come under federal protection in the state.

The federal government, as a condition for removing wolves from federal protection, requires Idaho to report wolf numbers for the next five years.

But state officials say federal money for tracking wolf populations could disappear. So they are searching for a cheaper method to estimate populations rather than trapping them and attaching radio collars.

Curt Mack, wolf-recovery coordinator for the Nez Perce Tribe, said attaching a radio collar costs about $1,500 to $2,000 per wolf, and then about $1,000 per year per wolf to track their locations.

"There just isn't going to be the funding there to continue the intensive radio collaring," Mack said.

Teresa Loya designed the Howlbox after being asked by David Ausband, a research associate with the Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit.

Loya then asked her sons, both computer programming majors at Montana State University, to help with the components and programing.

"It is truly, truly a family project," Loya said.

Each Howlbox costs about $1,500. It's programmed to howl once in the morning and once at night, and has a hard drive that stores audio recordings from any wolves that howl back. It's typically placed in a tree for several days.

By listening to the recordings, biologists could get an estimate of the number of wolves in a particular area, eliminating the more expensive process of capturing and attaching radio collars to wolves.

"Theoretically, it all should work," Mack said. "But you never know until you get it out there in real-word situations."