3 wolves reportedly spotted at remote Northern Nevada site

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) is working to confirm the presence of wolves near the northern edge of the state after a sighting on March 17.

A helicopter crew working on a moose collaring project spotted what were believed to be three wolves near Merritt Mountain, about two hours north of Elko. The mountain is near the Idaho border, nearly nine hours north of Las Vegas.

A search last week identified tracks in the area, and the freshest tracks led in the direction of the Idaho border.

NDOW biologists continued ground surveys, and measured track dimensions consistent with a wolf. The biologists then installed trail cameras, collected scat, and explored locations for opportunities to collect hair samples. The collected samples were sent off for DNA testing and the test results are expected within the next several days, according to a news release.

“We are doing all we can to gather information regarding this sighting and will keep the public updated as we learn more information,” NDOW Director Alan Jenne said. “Nevada is not a historic habitat for wolves, and we’ve had very few confirmed sightings in the state. Wolves are not known to reside in the state of Nevada, but we know that they may occasionally cross state lines for brief periods.”

Wolves used to range across parts of Nevada but were wiped out decades ago, according to Amaroq Weiss, senior wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. He called the possible return “a major homecoming for one of Nevada’s most iconic native carnivores.”

“I’m thrilled to welcome wolves back to the Silver State and I hope wildlife officials make sure they’re given the room they need to roam,” Weiss said. “Wolves are a symbol of the wildness of the West, and Nevada is as wild as it gets. Their return shows why it’s so important to let wolves continue to recover under the protection of the Endangered Species Act.”

According to NDOW’s news release, the agency is “committed to working with all applicable state and federal agencies to ensure public safety amidst this incident, and the department will continue to ensure that Nevada ecosystems and natural resource industries are not negatively impacted by the presence of wolves in the state.”

Nevada is preparing for its first-ever moose hunt this fall, but additional details about what the helicopter crew was doing were not available. A report by The Associated Press indicates officials have estimated the moose population in the state at around 100. No more than three hunting tags are expected to be issued, officials said.

But that’s three more than some Nevadans would like to see.

“Why a moose hunt at all?” Stephanie Myers of Las Vegas asked at a recent wildlife commission meeting. “We want to see moose, view moose. Not kill moose.”

Aerial surveys are now backed by radio-tracking collars biologists have fitted on four bull moose and nine cows since 2020. In some spots, males significantly outnumber females. Removing a bull or two might improve herd dynamics, according to Cody McKee, an NDOW specialist.

The exact number of permits will be determined in the coming weeks, but McKee anticipates no more than three. Only Nevadans can apply for the inaugural hunt, which will help guide decisions about future endeavors.

Government biologists admit they don’t fully understand why the moose have moved so far south, where seasonal conditions are warmer and drier than they traditionally prefer.

“It seems to be opposite of where we would expect to see moose expansion given their ecology,” said Marcus Blum, a Texas A&M University researcher hired to help assess future movement. He analyzed aerial surveys, individual sightings and habitat to project growth trends.

Six feet tall at the shoulder and up to 1,000 pounds, moose live in riparian areas where they munch on berry bushes and aspen leaves along the edges of mountain forests native to the northern half of Nevada.

They usually avoid places where temperatures regularly exceed 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Nevada study documented moose spending nearly half their time in areas where that “thermal threshold” was exceeded about 150 days a year, while climate change models suggest the threshold will be surpassed by another 14 days annually by 2050, Blum said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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