WALLOWA, Ore. — A two-year-old collared female wolf was found dead in Wallowa County and wildlife advocates are offering a hefty reward to bring its killer to justice.
According to a release from the Center for Biological Diversity, the wolf’s death was reported to Oregon State Police on January 11. A concerned citizen contacted the authorities, who later identified the wolf as OR-106, as designated by state biologists.
The slain wolf was recovered on Parsnip Creek Road, which is located roughly six miles southwest of the town of Wallowa. Biologists identified her as part of the Chesnimnus Pack, which resides in northern Wallowa County.
RELATED: Wildlife advocates question killing of wolf in SE Washington
“We want justice for this young wolf, who was simply seeking a mate and territory of her own before her life was cut tragically short by a bullet,” said Amaroq Weiss, senior wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. “We call on the state to show its commitment to holding perpetrators accountable by having its Department of Justice launch an independent, thorough investigation into this most recent killing, and past unsolved illegal killings of Oregon’s wolves.”
This killing follows a string of poisoning deaths of multiple wolves in a neighboring pack in northeast Oregon during 2021.
“Oregonians are feeling frustrated that there doesn’t seem to be enough of a deterrent to preclude these ongoing wolf killings,” said Adam Bronstein, Oregon/Nevada director of Western Watersheds Project. “Gov. Brown and other government officials need to take immediate action and start investigating these heinous crimes with vigor and resolve.”
30 wolves have been illegally killed in Oregon over the last 21 years, according to data from the Center for Biological Diversity. Five of those deaths have been logged in Wallowa County.
“Illegally killing Oregon’s few wolves out of hatred or spite must stop,” said Kelly Peterson, Oregon senior state director at the Humane Society of the United States. “The death of OR-106 at the hands of a poacher is heartbreaking and infuriating, especially after eight of Oregon’s wolves were illegally poisoned and killed just last year. While this reward cannot bring back these iconic animals, we hope it brings these cruel actors to justice and helps to put an end to the illegal slaughter of our wolves once and for all.”
If you have information that may contribute to their search, contact Oregon State Police Sgt. Isaac Cyr through the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Turn in Poachers (TIP) hotline at 1-800-452-7888. You can also email them at TIP@state.or.us.
RECENT HEADLINES FROM THE KAPP KVEW NEWS STAFF:
RECENT BREAKING NEWS: Yakima woman accused of killing 4-year-old stepson
COPYRIGHT 2022 BY YAKTRINEWS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.