LA GRANDE — Six conservation and animal rights groups are stepping forward to help the Oregon State Police solve a case involving eight gray wolves that were fatally poisoned in Union County over the past year.
The six groups, including at least three based in the Northwest, are offering a combined reward of $26,000 for information leading to a conviction in the case, according to a press release.
“Poisoning wildlife is a profoundly dangerous and serious crime, putting imperiled species, companion animals and people all at risk,” said Bethany Cotton, conservation director for Cascadia Wildlands. “We call on those with information about this reckless killing to come forward to protect Oregon’s wildlife and our communities.”
The $26,000 in combined rewards are being offered by the Center for Biological Diversity, Cascadia Wildlands, Defenders of Wildlife, the Humane Society of the United States, Northeast Oregon Ecosystems, Oregon Wild and the Predator Defense and WildEarth Guardians.
“This is a cowardly and despicable act,” said Brooks Fahy, executive director of Predator Defense, an Oregon based national wildlife advocacy nonprofit. “It is absolutely critical that the perpetrator of this crime be caught and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The Oregon State Police should aggressively pursue all leads that will help bring the individual who carried out this atrocity to justice.”
The poisoning case dates back to February when Oregon State Police reported troopers from its Fish and Wildlife Division division received information from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife about a dead collared wolf. Troopers responded to the area and found five dead wolves — three males and two females. It was later determined the wolves were from the Catherine Pack.
The wolves were southeast of Mount Harris, within Union County. The five wolves were collected and transported to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Lab in Ashland to determine the cause of death. It was determined by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Lab that the wolves had been poisoned.
Fish and Wildlife troopers in March again received information from ODFW personnel of an additional wolf collar emitting a mortality signal in the same general location. A search of the area located a deceased female wolf, which was sent to the USFWS lab for testing. The female wolf was dispersing from the Keating Pack.
Two more collared wolves were found dead in Union County after the initial incidents. In April, a deceased adult male wolf from the Five Points Pack was located west of Elgin, and in July a young female wolf from the Clark Creek Pack was discovered northeast of La Grande. Toxicology reports from the USFWS lab confirmed the presence of poison in each wolf.
“We are furious and appalled. These poisonings are a significant blow to wolf recovery in Oregon. Such a targeted attack against these incredible creatures is unacceptable and we hope our reward will help bring the criminals who did this to justice,” said Sristi Kamal, senior northwest representative for Defenders of Wildlife.