Tube man protects cattle in Southern Oregon

(FEBRUARY 9, 2019) Wolves are a problem in southern Oregon. They kill or hurt cattle and other animals. One ranch has the answer: a "tube man" scares away the wolves.

What is a "tube man"? It is a piece of material and a fan. The material is 20 feet long. The fan blows air. The air makes the tube man move.

Businesses use them. You see them along the road. They move. They dance. They catch your attention.

Now the Mill-Mar Ranch in Jackson County uses them, too. The ranch has two tube men. One is green. Another is yellow.

The ranch uses the tube man at night with a light. The wolves are scared of the dancing tube man. The wolves stay away. They do not hurt the cattle.

Defenders of Wildlife is an organization that protects animals. It loaned the tube men to the ranch. It wants to move the wolves, but it does not want to hurt them. The federal government protects wolves in parts of Oregon.

The ranch tried bright lights. The ranch tried colored flags that move in the wind. People tried camping overnight. But the wolves always returned.

Now the tube men are doing their job. The wolves stay away. The cattle are safe. The rancher is happy.