The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife on Wednesday officially confirmed a wolf depredation involving a dead llama that occurred Monday morning on private land in the Buford Creek drainage in northern Wallowa County near Flora. ODFW wildlife biologist Pat Matthews said the llama was in a pasture with cows and calves, but it was the only animal killed.
State officials believe the Shamrock Pack — formerly known as the Chesnimnus pair — is responsible for the kill. The pack moved into its current territory in the Sled Springs Wildlife Management Unit from the Chesnimnus unit about a year ago. Matthews said the population of the Shamrock pack is estimated at five or six wolves. It was the first confirmed depredation for the pack.
ODFW Assistant Wolf Biologist Roblynn Brown said llamas are not specifically recognized as a wolf deterrent but are considered an experimental animal for livestock producers in their wolf deterrent efforts.
It’s the seventh confirmed wolf depredation in Oregon in 2016. Six of those occurred in Wallowa County.
On March 31, ODFW officials shot and killed four wolves in the Upper Swamp Creek area of Wallowa County following five confirmed depredations in March in the area. Those killed were believed to be a splinter group from the Imnaha Pack.
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