7/11/14 Zoe's Wolf Research in Washington

Zoe at Pullman House

These past 5 days have been glorious!  We unloaded all Zoe's "treasures" from the RV and truck into her rented house in Pullman which she shares with two vet students. She is so excited to also share their two dogs and a cat since her schedule of being in the field for months at a time precludes her from having pets of her own.  The town of Pullman is 2 miles wide by 2 miles long and consists primarily of  Washington State University (WSU).  Town population is about 30 thousand, of which 20 thousand are WSU students.  It is set in the middle of nowhere.  There is a Safeway and Walmart and a bunch of small businesses but the nearest mall is 100 miles away in Spokane.  Besides the little bit bigger town of Moscow, Idaho 9 miles away; just rolling hills and some cows as far as the eye can see. 

Zoe (left) and Friends Cascade Mountains

We had a cookout at the campground with some of her friends and hooped it up till well after dark.  Fun group of "kids".  Not really kids, all late 20 early 30 something graduate students.  Photo (left), includes Zoe and friends hiking Goat Peak near Mazama, WA in the Cascade Mountains.  Zoe is working in this area for 5 months assessing wolf - livestock interactions (a.k.a -trying to determine how much livestock is being killed by wolves versus their natural prey of moose, elk and deer).  

Zoe with Moose Carcass

This moose carcass is a recent wolf kill.  In her hands is the jawbone.  Doesn't she look happy :) The state of Washington has funded WSU  to direct this wolf research project which involves soliciting cooperation between the governments of Washington, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana and local ranchers. An extremely difficult task considering the varied viewpoints in this region (from "kill them on site" to "let them live in peace") on how to manage wolves. Zoe's primary role in the project is mapping areas in Washington which could be at high risk for wolf-livestock interactions.  See her standing on her Forest Service truck with an antenna tracking the tagged cows to see if they are still alive. 

Zoe Monitoring Livestock with Radio Telemetry

 Her study area covers about 50 square miles throughout the Methow Valley in the Washington Cascades.  There are three other teams of grad students doing the same thing  in other parts of Washington State where wolf packs are also present.    At the end of 4 years Zoe will have a PhD in Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences.