Gabe Spence and Zoë Hanley

Wolf Biologist, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; and Northwest Representative, Defenders of Wildlife

Methow Valley, Washington

9/2/21

Crouched over a dusty road in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Gabe Spence and Zoë Hanley point out aged prints of a wolf pack living in the area. Gabe is a wolf biologist with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and an expert tracker. Zoë Hanley is a wildlife ecologist with the conservation group Defenders of Wildlife. In many areas including this one, wolves naturally returned from surrounding regions after being hunted out of existence. This has caused significant conflict with livestock producers in rural communities, and Zoë and Gabe are right in the middle of this conflict.

Through the muddled dust, Gabe can tell that the wolf chased a coyote in full sprint down the road and then laid down, the prints exposing the movements and the size of the animal. He can use his tracking abilities and collars on the wolves to study them and keep track of how they are doing. Zoë primarily works to mitigate conflict between livestock producers and wolves. She explains the complicated relationship between cows and wolves and how the American public has let cattle graze in wolf territory, leading to the death of ranchers’ cows, especially calves. Ranchers cannot handle the economic loss. But it is also the rancher’s choice to have their cows in wolf territory and the wolves don’t see the difference between a deer and a cow, they just see dinner for their pack. Zoë believes that it is possible for humans to learn to coexist with wolves, but it is difficult to navigate the challenges of non-lethal forms of protection. Both Zoë and Gabe show a deep love for the animal they study as well as a hint of weariness in their eyes caused by the challenges they face in their work.

By Haley Post