Three gray wolves were found dead in Oregon in December, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now offering the highest reward in the state’s history for tips in their killings.
Wildlife officials received “mortality” signals on Dec. 29 from two collared gray wolves in Klamath County, the agency said. Oregon State Police and a wildlife biologist responded to the area east of Bly and found the two animals and a third uncollared wolf, all dead.
Officials would not say how they died.
The U.S. Wildlife Service is offering $50,000 for information leading to an arrest, conviction or civil-penalty assessment in the killings. It’s the highest reward offered by the agency for information on the deaths of federally listed, endangered wolves in Oregon, spokesperson Megan Nagel said.
The collared wolves, known as OR115 and OR142, were from the Gearhart Mountain pack, the agency said. There are currently 31 collared wolves in Oregon, according to state department spokesperson Michelle Dennehy. The wildlife service collars wolves for tracking, annual wolf counts and getting information to protect livestock, Dennehy said.
Approximately 178 gray wolves roamed Oregon’s forests as of 2022, according to the state’s wildlife department. Wolf population growth has slowed in recent years, in part due to increased illegal killings.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is leading an investigation into the wolves’ deaths. Officials ask anyone with information on the case to call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (503) 682-6131, or the Oregon State Police Dispatch at (800) 452-7888 with the extension 677, or email TIP@osp.oregon.gov.
