Residents say wolf roaming in Moline

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By Dustin Lemmon | Tuesday, February 5, 2008 12:34 AM CST | () comments

Reports of a wolf roaming Moline keep coming in, and city leaders will decide tonight whether to hire a local wildlife expert to photograph and then snare the animal.

While officials have not been able to confirm that a wolf is in Moline, enough residents have voiced concern to get the attention of Mayor Don Welvaert and Moline aldermen.

Aldermen will discuss whether to hire Christman’s Wildlife Services of Moline at tonight’s Committee-of-the-Whole meeting.

Bill Christman, owner of the service, will charge $1,000 to set up bait traps and catch the animal on camera first. If it is photographed and confirmed as a wolf, he could set up to 40 snares for $7,000, checking them twice daily for a month.

Welvaert said he and council members have received reports from residents claiming to have spotted a wolf. Welvaert has received two reports.

“We’ve had several citizens complain about seeing wolves and supposed damage by wolves that coyotes could not do, and the perception is wolves are out there,” Welvaert said. “I think we owe it to the citizens of Moline to do something to at least calm the fears.”

Moline Police Chief Gary Francque said city staff is not making a recommendation but simply presenting the option to council members.

“It’s a legitimate decision for them to make,” he said. “I guess they’ve had calls from concerned residents. We’re asking the council, what do you want us to do?”

Moline police have animal control officers, but it would require a wildlife expert to handle a wolf, the chief said. Hiring Christman would be a proactive step to ease residents’ fears, he added.

“I’d call it a precautionary, exploratory type of activity,” Francque said. “We don’t know that there are wolves out there. The experts say it’s remotely possible.”

Christman recently investigated the carcass of a deer in Moline that was possibly killed by a wolf. He said the blood splatters and size of the predator’s footprints led him to think a wolf attacked the deer. He said a dog or coyote could not match such a kill.

“I’ve studied all kinds of animals, and I’ve studied how they kill,” he said. “It’s very consistent with a wolf, and the footprints are an exact match, but I still can’t say it’s a wolf because I haven’t seen it.”

Christman said he’s been in contact with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Both agreed he should use bait and photograph the animal before putting out snares. If a wolf is captured, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would take the animal, he said.

If he uses snares, Christman will take steps to avoid catching other animals, including pets, he said. Signs would be put up to warn residents. The traps would be concentrated in areas where canines travel, he added.

“I will take every precaution necessary, and I will use equipment to make sure nothing gets killed,” he said.

Welvaert noted that it’s unusual for wolves to travel this far south, and Christman said it’s possible the wolf, which has wide territories, has moved on.

Christman said he already put up some cameras without bait and has seen only coyotes. However, he continues to receive reports of sightings, including one Monday.

“I can’t even respond to all of them, there are so many,” he said of reports. “I think most of them are just seeing a coyote. You can’t miss a wolf. A wolf is two to three times the size of a coyote.”

If you go

The Committee-of-the-Whole meets at 6:30 p.m. today at Moline City Hall, 619 16th St.

Dustin Lemmon can be contacted at (563) 383-2493 or dlemmon@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.