Photo from Oregon State Police
Conservation and animal-protection groups announced a combined $22,500 reward for information leading to a conviction in the killing of a collared wolf outside of the town of Cove in Northeast Oregon.
On February 15th, Oregon State Police troopers that were investigating a report from wildlife officials found a collared wolf lying dead in a field. The troopers believe the black female wolf to be OR-109, who had been shot and killed that morning.
“This onslaught of wolf killings in Oregon is deeply upsetting,” Sophia Ressler, an Oregon-based staff attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement. “We need to find the poacher and hold them accountable for killing this precious wolf. We have a wolf-poaching crisis on our hands, and Oregon officials must take strong action.”
This killing follows the fatal poisoning of eight wolves in the same area of the state in 2021 and another similar killing by firearm in January 2022, making this the 10th illegal killing over the past year alone. The combined reward offered by conservation groups for the killings are $66,500.
“The number of wolves poached in Oregon is growing sickeningly high,” stated Sristi Kamal, senior northwest representative for Defenders of Wildlife. “This lone female wolf was gunned down during her search for territory and a mate. Her death is yet another grim example of why emergency federal protections for wolves are desperately needed in the eastern half of our state. Each wolf lost to poaching is a significant hit to Oregon’s wolf population’s slow recovery.”
“This rash of wolf poaching is undermining wolf recovery in Oregon,” noted Bethany Cotton, conservation director with Cascadia Wildlands. “We call on Oregon law enforcement to immediately dedicate all resources necessary to identify the perpetrators and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”
Anyone with information about these wolf killings should contact the Oregon State Police TIP line at (800) 452-7888 or by e-mail at TIP@state.or.us. Callers may remain anonymous.
