ENDANGERED SPECIES -- A female wolf that's become too comfortable hanging around homes and domestic dogs near Ione will be captured and put in a Western Washington wildlife park, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officials say.

The capture, which is planned for this week, would be the first time officials put one of the endangered species into captivity as the wolves are reintroducing themselves into the state.

The wolf had been captured and fitted with a radio collar in July 2013. I happened to be with the wildlife researchers to photograph and report on the capture. The wolf eventually found another female companion to form the Ruby Creek Pack.

Since then, the black Ruby Creek wolf's companion was impregnated by a domestic dog, caught by wildlife biologists and spayed only to be killed later in a vehicle collision. (See story). Meanwhile, the Ruby Creek wolf has generally stayed out of trouble, but has been seen playing with pet dogs.  Wildlife officials fear she will be bred by a dog during the winter breeding season.

• See map below for GPS monitoring locations of the Ruby Creek wolf this year.

The state Wolf Advisory Group meeting last week found consensus among pro and not-so-pro wolf groups to do something about the wolf, but there was no agreement on what action to take, said Nate Pamplin, WDFW wildlife program director.

He said the agency had spent about $8,000 in efforts to haze the wolf, including shooting it with rubber bullets when it approached rural residences.

Here's a summary of Pamplin's report on the decision to capture the wolf:

 Background: Last fall, two female wolves comprising the known members of the Ruby Creek pack were getting increasingly habituated to human residences and domestic dogs.  One female was bred by a dog last winter, and was captured, spayed, and returned to the wild.  She was hit and killed by a car this spring.

The remaining female, who is also radio-collared, continued to visit human inhabited areas and increasingly exhibited habituated behaviors, including routinely hanging out with domestic animals, being chased by livestock, and running off a short distance after being shot with rubber ammunition by our staff in an attempt to haze her. 

Wolves generally exhibit avoidance of people even in fragmented habitats where they are likely to have a higher degree of encounters.  Aggressive acts toward humans is rare, however, habituation is a known condition that can lead to aggressive behavior.   

We are not aware of any aggressive acts towards humans or livestock or pet depredations by this female wolf.  However, considering the upcoming wolf breeding season and the potential for her to be bred by domestic dogs, and the increased habituation and associated human and pet safety concerns, we are concerned about this animal and the potential for more serious problems.

At our WAG meeting, the group reached consensus that this was a problem, but did not reach consensus on next steps.  We discussed the various pros and cons of possible options, including translocation, euthanasia, or placement in captivity. We appreciate your candid and constructive input.

We have also briefed the Fish and Wildlife Commission and consulted with Pend Oreille County.

Given the feedback we received and considering the unique situation, we have decided to capture this wolf and place her into captivity.  We have consulted with the staff at Wolf Haven International (in Tenino, Wash.), which has generously offered to accept her into captivity. 

We fully understand that we will not be able to place all problem wolves into captivity, because there are simply not enough facilities. Also, most wild born wolves would not transition well into life in captivity.  However, given the very rare behavior this individual is exhibiting, she is likely a good candidate.

Later this week, field staff will attempt to capture this female wolf.  It will remain property of the state, but permitted to be held by Wolf Haven.  The Department and Wolf Haven will develop a ‘quality of life’ plan.  If it is determined the animal will not be able to acclimate to life in captivity, it will be humanely euthanized.

A public meeting on wolf management in northeastern Washington has been set for Oct. 7 in Colville.