I & E

          A PredatorPrey Symposium was held in Boise, Idaho on January 5th in
          conjunction with the annual meeting of the Idaho Guides and Outfitters.
          Bangs, Curt Mack (NPT), Kerry Murphy (YNP), and other wolf biologists and
          managers from throughout North America gave presentations. Some
          outfitters expressed concern that wolf predation on wild ungulates was
          already noticeable and if it continued would drive some of them out of
          business.

          On the 6th, the Nez Perce Tribe, Service, Service LE, and Wildlife Services
          conducted a review of wolf recovery efforts in Idaho. Overall the program
          has been an outstanding success.

          On December 9, Fontaine gave a presentation to sled drivers for the
          National Elk Refuge in Jackson. He also delivered a full body mount of a gray
          wolf and a coyote for display in the National Wildlife Art Museum in Jackson,
          WY. On January14, Fontaine gave a presentation to about 50 children and
          teachers at the Elliston School.

          Bangs, Dominici (LE) and other individuals involved with grey wolf and red
          wolf restoration efforts in North America attended a review of the Mexican
          Wolf Program in Albuquerque on January 11. Experiences and ideas were
          discussed to aid in the wolf restoration program in the southwestern U.S.

          Bangs, Jimenez, and Phillips and Nelson (WS) met with representatives
          form Grand Teton National Park and the Park's Livestock Grazing Advisory
          Board and other agency personal in Jackson, WY on the 14th. A host of
          issues were discussed including wolf control and livestock, monitoring. and
          public outreach. On the 15th, they met with National Elk Refuge and Forest
          Service representatives to discuss helicopter capture operations, wolf
          control issues and overall coordination on wolf related issues. Public interest
          in the wolves near Jackson is extremely high in part because the wolves are
          so visible from the road and parking lot of the National Wildlife Art Museum.
          "Anyone for a skinny decaf latte' while we watch the wolves take down that
          limping old cow elk?"

          Representatives of the Nez Perce Tribe travelled to Washington D.C. and
          gave a presentation about their involvement in wolf recovery in Idaho to
          Service managers. The briefing was very well done and well received.

          On the 20th, Wyoming Project Leader Mike Jimenez gave 3 presentations
          about wolves in Jackson, WY.

          Dr. (soon to be) Mike Jimenez and Brian Cox (MS) are the U.S. Fish and
          Wildlife Service Wyoming Wolf Recovery Office. They are stationed in
          Lander, WY and are still getting their phones and computers set up.
          Hopefully they will be fully operational in February. Currently they can be
          reached at (307)3327789.

          The newest Service employees, Dr. Diane BoydHeger and Dr. (to be) Tom
          Meier will arrive in the Helena, Montana wolf recovery office on February 1,
          1999. They will initially focus their considerable talents on wolf restoration
          efforts in Northwestern Montana. They will need your help to locate potential
          wolf packs so PLEASE!! record and report wolf observations.

     The weekly wolf report can now be viewed at the Service's Region 6 web site at
     http://www.r6.fws.gov/wolf