Many Volunteers Make for a Successful Beginning to Deer Translocation
Volunteers have logged an impressive 708 hours of time to the Columbian white-tailed deer transloation efforts to date. The number of hours is equivalent to 88.5 work days and $15,675 in wages donated to the refuge. Volunteers came from a wide geographic area, including Vancouver, WA and Portland, OR, and ranged from local high school students to retirees. A big thank you goes out to all the people who donated time and services to the translocation project.
Efforts to protect these threatened deer have not ended. Translocated deer will continue to be monitored throughout the upcoming months. Learn more about the translocation project...
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Have You Seen a Deer Like This?
Columbian white-tailed deer (CWTD) have recently been relocated and are adjusting to their new home at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. If you spot one, please give it plenty of room and report your sighting. Avoid disturbing the animal. CWTD are protected under both Federal and State law. Killing, hunting, harming or harassing them is prohibited.
Download a poster for identification clues and more information.
Report a deer sighting to: Chris Lapp, Ridgefield NWR Manager, at 360-887-2122
New Contact Number for Translocated Deer Observations
If you see a Columbian white-tailed deer (with ear tags and radio collar as pictured on the left) near Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge or would like more information, please call 360-887-2122.
Read updates and get links to news articles..
Deer on the Move
So far, 12 Columbian white-tailed deer have been translocated from Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-tailed Deer to Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).
If you see a Columbian white-tailed deer (with ear tags and radio collar as pictured on the left) near Ridgefield NWR or would like more information, please call 360-887-2122.
Read updates and get links to news articles...
Deer Translocation Begins
This week, the USFWS moved the first deer in this effort to save the threatened population from habitat loss. Learn more and get updates about the projects process...
Final Environmental Assessment Available for Deer Translocation
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has completed the Final Environmental
Assessment for an emergency translocation of endangered Columbian white-tailed deer.
Up to 50 deer will be translocated from the Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for Columbian
White-tailed Deer near Cathlamet, Washington, to the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge near Ridgefield,
Washington. The deer are being moved to save them from potential loss due to the impending failure of a
dike between the JBH refuge and the Columbia River. If the dike fails, much of the refuge will be flooded,
placing the deer at risk. Learn more...
Columbian White-tailed Deer Translocation Proposed
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is proposing an emergency translocation of rare Columbian white-tailed deer from Julia Butler Hansen (JBH) Refuge for the Columbian White-tailed Deer near Cathlamet, Washington, to the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) near Ridgefield, Washington. Steamboat Slough dike, a dike owned and maintained by Diking District #4 along the Columbia River boundary of the JBH Refuge, is eroding and is likely to fail at any time. A dike breach would inundate the JBH Refuge mainland unit and place the approximately 100 Columbian white-tailed deer inhabiting the Refuge at extreme risk. Managers believe that, in the event of a breach and subsequent flooding, the majority of these deer will be displaced or die setting recovery efforts back significantly. The proposed emergency translocation is an attempt to minimize loss of deer and maintain efforts toward recovery under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Although technology exists to fix the impending dike breach, there are no funds available for the effort at this time. Plans for a longer-term remedy are under consideration but cannot be completed in time to prevent a potential dike breach this winter.
Columbian white-tailed deer are unique to western Washington and Oregon and are listed as an Endangered Species under the Federal Endangered Species Act. Ridgefield NWR is within their historical range and contains suitable habitat. As part of the emergency effort, the Service has developed a Draft Environmental Assessment and opened a period of public comment. All comments must be received by January 2, 2013. A Final Environmental Assessment addressing all comments will be published on the JBH Refuge website in early 2013.
Review the Draft Environmental Assessment (PDF 830 KB).
Learn more about conservation efforts at the refuge.
