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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW The Democracy Project at SOU: An Opportunity for Learning and Leadership ... Rail crossing work to close Walker Avenue Friday night through Monday morning ... Quills & Queues: The not-so-empty nest ... The Democracy Project at SOU: An Opportunity for Learning and Leadership ... Rail crossing work to close Walker Avenue Friday night through Monday morning ... Quills & Queues: The not-so-empty nest ... LOCAL TAKE: OR-7 FINDS MATE, STARTS FAMILY What do you think of the return of wolves to Jackson County? Comment By Ian Hand Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Ian Hand Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Aug. 18, 2014 at 5:27 PM Updated Aug 19, 2014 at 4:37 PM By Ian Hand Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Aug. 18, 2014 at 5:27 PM Updated Aug 19, 2014 at 4:37 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Will plastic bag ban affect you? • Fires and forests evolved together, but now people are in the mix... • What do you think about the return of wolves in Jackson C... » Social News What happened While wolves were once common in Oregon, they were absent from the state between the 1940s and late '90s due to deliberate eradication of the animals. By 1999, wolves from Idaho began to make a home back in Oregon and the population grew to a minimum of 64 wolves in eight packs by 2013. The state adopted the "Wolf Conservation and Management Plan" in 2005 in order to facilitate the species' recovery in Oregon. While wolves have been delisted nationally as endangered, which removes some protections, they are still endangered in Oregon. While all of the known packs are the northeast portion of the state (pack territories are in Wallowa, Union, Baker and Umatilla counties), lone wolf OR-7 left the Imnaha pack in 2011 and journeyed southwest to finally settle in southeast Jackson County and southwest Klamath County.  What's happening After a journey that lasted hundreds of miles, OR-7 became the first wolf west of the Cascades in nearly 70 years.  "Wolves can often disperse pretty far," says Joseph Vaile, executive director for the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center. "They go in search of their habitat. They look for remote country." Vaile says that, while the journey is miraculous, that he was able to find a mate is even more miraculous. "She must have made quite the journey herself," he says. OR-7's mate then gave birth to, at least, three pups in late April or early May. What this means While OR-7's pups may grow and form their own families, the wolf population here in Jackson County is still, partially, dependent on the packs in the northeast.  "It really depends on how the wolves are able to recover up there," Vaile says. "If the packs are able to grow, we might see more wolves disperse."  While Oregon lists wolves as endangered under the state Endangered Species Act, they are not listed federally. Vaile says that there is a plan to delist wolves throughout all of the contiguous states.  "It's concerning," he says. "Wolves are pretty resilient, but this may prevent recovery of wolves on the West Coast. "Wolves do an incredible job regulating the ecosystem. It's really important to allow these top level carnivores to recover." By Ian Hand Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Ian Hand Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Aug. 18, 2014 at 5:27 PM Updated Aug 19, 2014 at 4:37 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501