FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 11, 2025

Eugene, OR — Today, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) released in its annual report of the minimum 2024 gray wolf population and pack count for the state, which shows encouraging growth after years of stagnation. In both 2022 and 2023 the minimum wolf count was just 178. From 2019-2023, Oregon’s minimum wolf population increased by just 5. The 2024 minimum count is 204, the largest in the state’s history, and the first time the population tops 200 since wolves began naturally returning to the state in 2008.

“After several years of very concerning population trends for Oregon’s wolves, the significant growth in our minimum wolf population is very welcome news,” said Bethany Cotton, conservation director for Cascadia Wildlands. “As wolves face serious threats at the national level and Washington state’s population declined for the first time, it’s heartening to have positive news in Oregon.”

Additional positive news in the report includes seven breeding pairs documented in western Oregon and 25 total packs, an increase from 22 in 2023. Wolves in the western third of Oregon enjoy federal Endangered Species Act protections and are primarily managed by the federal Fish and Wildlife Service.

Illegal wolf killings remain a significant threat to wolves in Oregon, with at least seven wolves killed by poachers in 2024. While the news that Oregon now has seven breeding pairs in the western portion of the state is encouraging, it is tempered by the recent poaching of the Metolius pack breeding male. That death is not reflected in the 2024 report. Of the 26 documented wolf deaths in 2024, 22 were caused by humans. It is illegal to kill a wolf anywhere in the state of Oregon without authorization. Killing a wolf in the western portion of the state is both a federal and state crime.

As the report notes “[w]ith seven breeding pairs documented in the West Zone in 2024, Phases 2 or 3 [of the Oregon Wolf Plan] could be reached as early as 2027. But for a poaching incident in 2023 that reduced the number of breeding pairs that year, the West Zone would have moved to Phase 2 this year.” 

“Poaching remains a primary threat to Oregon’s wolves, yet the Governor’s draft budget for the agency cuts all anti-poaching funds,” said Cotton, conservation director for Cascadia Wildlands. “We call on the legislature and the Governor to ensure those funds are restored so that our state’s progress toward wolf recovery is not further undermined by the poaching crisis.”

Additionally, predation incidents decreased in 2024, with 69 total events, down from 73 in 2023. Oregon is home to over 1.38 million cows and sheep. Wolves present a very minor impact to this population, with weather and disease responsible for orders of magnitude more deaths and injuries. The Oregon Department of Agriculture’s compensation program granted all requests for livestock confirmed or deemed probably killed or wounded by wolves at fair market value in full in 2024. The program granted a total of $789,565 in public funds across 13 counties. Of the requests made to the program, 61% were for non-lethal coexistence tools assistance. That figure decreased from 2023 when 84% of the requests were for coexistence tools.

The post After Years of Stagnation, Oregon’s Wolf Population Grows first appeared on Cascadia Wildlands.

TAKE ACTION BELOW!

The post Tell the Oregon House: Vote No on anti-wolf bill! first appeared on Cascadia Wildlands.

Contact:
Bethany Cotton, Conservation Director, Cascadia Wildlands, (541) 434-1463 

State’s Wolf Recovery Threatened by Poaching, Agency Authorized Killings

Eugene, OR — Today the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) revealed Oregon’s wolf population did not grow in 2023. The stagnation in the wolf population marks the worst year for wolves in Oregon since the species began returning to the state in 2008 after decades of absence. This concerning news for Oregon wolves caps a multi-year trend of very low population growth: the 2022 minimum wolf count was 178, just three wolves more than the 2021 year-end count of 175, which itself was just two wolves more than 2020’s minimum count of 173. Oregon’s wolf population has grown less than 3% in the past four year combined.

Over 20% of the state’s wolf population died in a single year: at least 36 wolves were confirmed dead in 2023, 33 of which were human caused. Of those 33, 16 were killings were authorized by ODFW, four wolves were hit by cars, one was lawfully shot by a hunter, and a dozen were poached: 10 poisoned in multiple incidents and two separate shootings. The stagnant wolf population and the sharp increase in wolf deaths are cause for great concern in a state with significant suitable –  yet unoccupied –  wolf habitat. Also of concern, the total number of wolf packs shrunk from 24 in 2022 to 22 in 2023, and western Oregon’s nascent wolf population lost a breeding female to poaching.

“Oregon is facing a toxic mix of threats to our wolf population: a poaching epidemic and unreasonably high levels of agency authorized killings,” said Bethany Cotton, conservation director with Cascadia Wildlands. “To ensure Oregon meets our wolf conservation and recovery goals, we need to reign in both poaching and agency-approved killings.”

Among the limited good news in the report, confirmed and probable livestock predations by wolves dropped in 2023. Despite this positive news, ODFW authorized killing 16 wolves in 2023, double any previous year. All requests for compensation for probable or confirmed livestock predation by wolves were paid in full through the state compensation program. Additionally, 84% of the funds allocated through the compensation fund were used for non-lethal coexistence tools.

“ODFW needs to do more to protect Oregon’s small wolf population: The agency can start by not being one of the two primary causes of the population’s failure to grow. Until poaching is brought under control and Oregon’s wolf population increases for several years, the agency needs to stop authorizing wolf killings and concentrate on implementing proven effective coexistence tools,” said Cotton.

Wolves in the western third of Oregon enjoy federal Endangered Species Act protections and are primarily managed by the federal Fish and Wildlife Service. The Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating the killing of four wolves in western Oregon in 2023, one shooting and three deaths by poison.

In December 2023, Colorado Parks and Wildlife live captured and transferred 10 Oregon wolves to Colorado. While this transfer is positive conservation news for Colorado, removing 10 of Oregon’s young, healthy wolves further undermines Oregon’s wolf recovery. Those wolves would otherwise have been likely to disperse to create new packs and could have occupied areas of appropriate wolf habitat where the animals are still absent.

###

Background:

Oregon wolves have had critical protections removed and then restored in recent years. The Trump administration stripped federal Endangered Species Act protections from gray wolves across most of the country in January 2021, including in western Oregon. In February 2022, a federal court restored those protections, agreeing with plaintiffs, including Cascadia Wildlands, that removal of federal protections was not grounded in science.

Since 2011 wolves in the eastern third of Oregon have not enjoyed federal protections and have been managed by the state. In 2015, the state Fish and Wildlife Commission prematurely stripped wolves of state endangered species act protections.

The post Press Release: Oregon’s Wolf Population Stagnates first appeared on Cascadia Wildlands.

Contact:
Bethany Cotton, Cascadia Wildlands, (541) 434-1463
Amaroq Weiss, Center for Biological Diversity
Danielle Moser, Oregon Wild

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Wildlife Coalition, conservation partners and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are offering rewards totaling $26,500 for information leading to arrests and convictions following the separate killings of two wolves in Oregon.

“I’m so saddened to learn of the illegal killings of two more Oregon wolves, which add to the enormous spike in human-caused wolf mortality we’ve been seeing here the past several years,” said Amaroq Weiss, senior wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Wherever wolves live in Oregon, federally protected or not, there is no hunting of wolves allowed. Killing this wolf was illegal and also morally wrong.” 

Wildlife conservation groups today announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction for the illegal killing of a collared male wolf found Nov. 13 in southwestern Oregon’s Jackson County. Since the wolf was killed in a part of the state where wolves are still federally protected under the Endangered Species Act, the Service has offered a $5,000 reward, for a total of $15,000.  

The conservation groups announced a separate $11,500 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction for the illegal killing of a collared female wolf found Nov. 27 in northeast Oregon in Baker County. 

The poaching incidents were publicly reported Dec. 5 by the Service and by Oregon State Police. The Oregon Wildlife Coalition and conservation partners have a standing reward offer to assist in prosecuting all illegal wolf killings. 

“Poaching is cowardly and illegal. Poachers are stealing from all Oregonians and undermining decades of conservation efforts,” said Bethany Cotton, conservation director with Cascadia Wildlands. “We call on the public to come forward with any information that may help bring those responsible to justice and for law enforcement to redouble their efforts.” 

The wolf killed in Jackson County, known as OR-125, was found dead Nov. 13 near Union Creek, east of Crater Lake. He was a member of the Indigo pack, whose territory is north of Crater Lake straddling Douglas and Klamath counties.  

Authorities were alerted Nov. 27 to the second poached wolf discovered within the Keating Wildlife Management Unit about 25 miles east of Baker City. State wildlife agency officials have indicated that this female wolf, OR-95, was a member of the Cornucopia pack.  

“Wolf poaching continues to be a tragic assault on Oregon values and our natural heritage,” said Danielle Moser with Oregon Wild. “Each death is a blow to the resilience and integrity of our wild landscapes.” 

Since 2001 at least 34 wolves are known to have been poached across the state, with most killed in eastern Oregon. Scientific research has shown that removing protections for wolves is associated with increased illegal killings. For every illegally slain wolf found, another one to two wolves have been killed and remain undiscovered. 

Anyone with information regarding the OR-125 case is urged to contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (503) 682-6131 or the Oregon State Police TIP line at (800) 452-7888. Callers with information on the wolf killed near Baker City should reach out only to the Oregon State Police line. Callers may remain anonymous. Reports also can be made online at https://www.oregon.gov/osp/programs/fw/pages/tip.aspx 

Background

Oregon wolves have had critical protections removed and then restored in recent years. The Trump administration stripped federal Endangered Species Act protections from gray wolves across most of the country in January 2021, including in western Oregon. In February 2022 a federal court restored those protections.  

However, since 2011 wolves in the eastern third of Oregon have not had federal protections and have been managed by the state. In 2015 the state Fish and Wildlife Commission prematurely stripped wolves of state endangered species act protections.  

At last count, Oregon had a minimum of 178 wolves. Following a significant increase in poaching and agency kill actions in 2021 and 2022, Oregon’s wolf counts those years show minimal annual growth of the state wolf population, only 1% in 2021 and 1.7% in 2022. The 2023 population count is expected to be issued in April. 

#

Cascadia Wildlands defends and restores Cascadia’s wild ecosystems in the forests, in the courts and in the streets. 

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.7 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. 

Oregon Wild works to protect and restore Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife and waters as an enduring legacy for future generations. 

The Oregon Wildlife Coalition includes the Center for Biological Diversity, Oregon Wild, Cascadia Wildlands, Portland Audubon, Willamette Riverkeeper, the Humane Society of the United States, Humane Voters Oregon and Western Environmental Law Center. Speak for Wolves and Greater Hells Canyon Council also contributed to the standing reward offer. 

The post Press Release: $26,500 Offered for Information About Two Illegal Oregon Wolf Killings   first appeared on Cascadia Wildlands.

Contact:
Bethany Cotton, Cascadia Wildlands, (541) 434-1463

Mixed News for Oregon’s Wolves: Population Stalls Statewide While More Wolves Move West

Today, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) released its annual report of the minimum 2022 gray wolf population and pack count for the state, which shows a continuing pattern of very low growth. The 178 wolves documented in 2022 is only an increase of three wolves over year-end 2021 numbers, while the number of wolf packs increased from 21 to 24. The state’s minimum wolf population only grew by two wolves in 2021, from 173 to 175 wolves. The stagnant population numbers are a cause for great concern in a state with significant suitable –  yet unoccupied –  wolf habitat. Removal of state Endangered Species Act protections was predicated on an assumed steady population increase, an assumption that has proven false since 2020.

More positive aspects of the report include four breeding pairs documented in western Oregon and six wolf groups documented in the Cascades. Wolves in the western third of Oregon enjoy federal Endangered Species Act protections and are primarily managed by the federal Fish and Wildlife Service.

“It is deeply concerning that Oregon’s wolf population has essentially stalled for two years,” said Bethany Cotton with Cascadia Wildlands. “Humans remain the biggest threat to the recovery of this iconic native species, and we can and must do more to coexist and hold poachers accountable.”

Illegal killing of wolves remained extensive in Oregon and clearly played a role in the plateaued numbers. A minimum of seven wolves were illegally killed, a number called “unacceptable” by ODFW. Six of the seven cases remain under investigation. The seventh wolf was killed by a man who claimed he thought he was shooting a coyote, though the wolf was wearing a visible radio collar. Of the 20 documented wolf mortalities in 2022, 17 were caused by humans.

“Oregon’s wolves remain under threat – in large part driven by overblown and unscientific rhetoric from a small but vocal minority of anti-wolf voices,” said Cotton. “Unfortunately, state management is failing this species – it’s time to restore Endangered Species Act protections statewide.”

High resolution, public domain photos of Oregon’s gray wolves can be found here.

###

The post Press Release: Cascadia Wildlands Statement on Oregon’s 2022 Minimum Gray Wolf Population Count first appeared on Cascadia Wildlands.

Contact:
Bethany Cotton, Cascadia Wildlands, (541) 434-1463
Amaroq Weiss, Center for Biological Diversity
Brooks Fahy, Predator Defense,
Adam Bronstein, Western Watersheds Project
Stephanie Taylor, Speak for Wolves
Kelly Peterson, The Humane Society of the United States

$16,500 Reward Offered for Info on Wolf Killed Illegally in Oregon’s Wallowa County

PORTLAND, Ore. — Conservation groups announced today a $16,500 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction for the illegal shooting death of a two-year-old collared female wolf in Wallowa County in early January. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Turn in Poachers (TIP) division also offers a potential $300 reward for information regarding illegal wolf killings.

The Oregon State Police reported the incident on Jan. 11, after a concerned citizen alerted them. The slain wolf, designated as OR-106 by state wildlife biologists, was found on Parsnip Creek Road, about six miles southwest of the town of Wallowa in the Sled Springs game management unit. She dispersed from the Chesnimnus Pack, whose territory is in northern Wallowa County.
 
“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 new illegal shooting follows the gruesome illegal poisoning deaths of multiple wolves last year in northeast Oregon. Eight wolves from four different packs, including all members of the Catherine Pack, were poisoned in neighboring Union County, in incidents between February and July of 2021.

“The senseless killing of the young female wolf OR-106 is a crime against this animal and all who care about Oregon’s wildlife,” 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.”

“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.” 

“We call on state government and law enforcement to take seriously this devastating trend of illegal wolf killings and allocate all necessary resources to hold the criminals accountable,” said Bethany Cotton, conservation director for Cascadia Wildlands. “We ask community members to come forward with information they may have to solve these crimes and keep Oregon’s rare wildlife safe.”

“When poachers get away with breaking the law it only leads to more poaching and lawlessness,” said Danielle Moser of Oregon Wild. “This is a result of wolves losing their endangered species protections coupled with a culture of poaching permissiveness. For far too long, poachers have been emboldened by those who excuse and celebrate their criminal acts without fear of consequences.”
 
“We are saddened to hear the tragic news of the cowardly killing of wolf OR-106, but unfortunately, we are not surprised,” said Stephanie Taylor, president of Speak for Wolves. “With 32 poached wolves in Oregon since their return and nearly zero accountability for any of the incidents, it’s clear Oregon’s wildlife managers must do far more to educate the public on co-existence with native wildlife, and massively increase their efforts to hold poachers accountable. Otherwise, this ‘shoot, shovel, shut up’ culture will continue to thrive leading to even more poaching.”
 
“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.”
 
Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to 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 or *OSP via mobile. Tips can also be submitted via email to TIP@state.or.us (monitored Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

Background

In the past 21 years, 30 wolves have been illegally killed in Oregon, and two more were found dead under mysterious circumstances, according to authorities. Five of these wolves were found dead in Wallowa County. Arrests and convictions have been made in only three of the 32 deaths.
 
The Trump administration stripped federal Endangered Species Act protections from gray wolves across most of the country in January 2021, including in western Oregon. Since 2011 wolves in the eastern one-third of Oregon have not had federal protections and were managed solely by the state. In 2015 the state fish and wildlife commission prematurely stripped wolves of state endangered species act protections.
 
Even without state or federal protections, wolves are protected under Oregon’s Wolf Conservation and Management Plan. Wolves may be killed only in self-defense and by Oregon’s wildlife agency staff in instances of chronic livestock predations. Individual livestock owners throughout Oregon may kill a wolf in the act of attacking livestock and, in the eastern half of the state, a wolf that is chasing livestock. Oregon does not currently allow wolf hunting or trapping seasons.
 
Scientific research has shown that removing protections for wolves is associated with increased illegal killings of wolves, and that for every illegally slain wolf found, another 1 to 2 wolves have been killed that will remain undiscovered.
 
Groups contributing pledge reward amounts are the Center for Biological Diversity, Predator Defense, Western Watersheds Project, Cascadia Wildlands, Oregon Wild, Speak for Wolves, Northeast Oregon Ecosystems and The Humane Society of the United States.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.7 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.
 
Predator Defense is a national nonprofit advocacy organization devoted to protecting essential native predators, helping people learn to coexist with wild animals, and ending America’s war on wildlife. They have been championing native predators with science, sanity, and heart since 1990.
 
Western Watersheds Project is a nonprofit organization with over 12,000 members and supporters dedicated to protecting and conserving the public lands and native wildlife of the American West with a focus on the harmful impacts from domestic livestock grazing.
 
Cascadia Wildlands defends and restores Cascadia’s wild ecosystems in the forests, in the courts and in the streets.
 
Oregon Wild works to protect and restore Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife and waters as an enduring legacy for future generations
 
Speak for Wolves exists to empower activists with science and indigenous land knowledge-based education to challenge existing wildlife management practices and to influence policies that will benefit large predators, amplified by an annual grassroots wildlife conference.
 
Northeast Oregon Ecosystems – Speaking up for Oregon’s environment and wildlife.
 
Founded in 1954, the Humane Society of the United States fights the big fights to end suffering for all animals. Together with millions of supporters, we take on puppy mills, factory farms, trophy hunts, animal testing and other cruel industries. With our affiliates, we rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals every year through our animal rescue team’s work and other hands-on animal care services. We fight all forms of animal cruelty to achieve the vision behind our name: A humane society. Learn more about our work at humanesociety.org. Subscribe to Kitty Block’s blog, A Humane World. Follow the HSUS Media Relations department on Twitter. Read the award-winning All Animals magazine. Listen to the Humane Voices Podcast. 

The post Press Release: Groups Offer Reward for Info on Wolf Killed Illegally first appeared on Cascadia Wildlands.

Contacts:
Bethany Cotton, Conservation Director, Cascadia Wildlands, (541) 434-1463
Samantha Bruegger, Wildlife Coexistence Campaigner, WildEarth Guardians

Outrage: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife Kills Wolf Puppies

Agency Guns Down Two 3.5 Month Old Wolf Pups from Helicopter Using Public Tax Dollars

Baker County, OR — The Oregon Wildlife Coalition, an alliance of nine wildlife conservation organizations, has learned that the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW) needlessly slaughtered two 3 ½ month-old wolf pups from the Lookout Mountain pack by helicopter over the weekend. As allowed by ODFW’s weakened wolf conservation and management plan, the pups were killed to appease the livestock industry, making it clear that Oregon aligns its wolf management with states like Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and Alaska. The killing of defenseless pups underscores how the removal of federal wolf protections allows state agencies hostile to wolf recovery to undermine the decades long species’ recovery efforts. Pups this age are entirely dependent on the older wolves in their packs to bring back food: they do not participate in hunts.

Killing baby wolves, that are far too young to hunt, is as inhumane and as it is unscientific. ODFW has not notified the public of this decision, however the agency did provide comments on the killing to the agricultural publication The Capital Press.

The Oregon Fish & Wildlife Commission is the managing body for the Department, and accountable for the department’s decision, as is Oregon Governor Kate Brown. Commissioners are appointed by the Governor, and future Commission appointments are critical to determining the future of wildlife management decisions. It is also clear, that the state continues to allocate a substantial amount of public funding under “predator control” in its budget; this needs to change.

The Oregon Wildlife Coalition, representing hundreds of thousands of Oregonians, calls on ODFW to immediately cancel the kill permit for the Lookout Mountain pack and on Governor Brown and her Commission to initiate an investigation into how authorization was granted to kill baby wolves incapable of livestock predation.

###

The Oregon Wildlife Coalition is a coalition of wildlife conservation groups working proactively and collaboratively to advocate for policies that are science-based and humane, and reflect the state’s conservation values.

The post Press Release: ODFW Uses Tax Dollars to Kill 3.5 Month Old Wolf Pups first appeared on Cascadia Wildlands.

Contact:
Nick Cady, Cascadia Wildlands, 314-482-3746
Kelly Nokes, Western Environmental Law Center, 575-613-8051
John Mellgren, Western Environmental Law Center, 541-359-0990
Erik Molvar, Western Watersheds Project, 307-399-7910
Lindsay Larris, WildEarth Guardians, 310-923-1465

Today, a coalition of Western wolf advocates challenged the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to prematurely strip wolves of federal protections in the contiguous 48 states, in violation of the Endangered Species Act.

The most recent data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its state partners show an estimated 4,400 wolves inhabit the western Great Lakes states, but only 108 wolves in Washington state (with only 20 outside of eastern Washington), 158 in Oregon (with only 16 outside of northeastern Oregon), and a scant 15 exist in California. Nevada, Utah, and Colorado have had a few wolf sightings over the past three years, but wolves remain functionally absent from their historical habitat in these states.

“Wolves are a keystone species whose presence on landscapes regulates animal populations and improves ecosystem health – something the Service has acknowledged for at least 44 years,” said Kelly Nokes, Western Environmental Law Center attorney. “Allowing people to kill wolves in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana has already stunted recovery in those states. Applying this same death sentence to wolves throughout the contiguous U.S. would nationalize these negative effects, with potentially catastrophic ripple effects on ecosystems where wolves have yet to fully recover.”

In delisting wolves, the Service ignored the science showing they are not recovered in the West. The Service concluded that because in its belief there are sufficient wolves in the Great Lakes states, it does not matter that wolves in the West are not yet recovered. The Endangered Species Act demands more, including restoring the species in the ample suitable habitats afforded by the wild public lands throughout the West. Indeed, wolves are listed as endangered under state laws in Washington and California, and wolves only occupy a small portion of available, suitable habitat in Oregon. Likewise, wolves have only just begun to recolonize their historical, wild, public lands habitat in much of the West, including in Colorado and the southern Rockies.

“From a scientific standpoint, wolves are nowhere near being recovered in the western United States,” said Erik Molvar, a wildlife biologist and executive director with Western Watersheds Project. “The federal government has the obligation to keep wolves protected until robust and secure populations are in place throughout the West, and we intend to ensure that wolves get the legal defense they need against premature delisting.”

“We have seen what happens when ‘management’ of wolves is returned to hostile state wildlife agencies disinterested in maintaining robust, stable, and genetically diverse wolf populations,” said Lindsay Larris, Wildlife Program director at WildEarth Guardians. “Idaho, which allows an individual to kill up to 30 wolves annually, saw the slaughter of nearly 600 wolves and wolf pups in a recent 12-month period and now other states are gearing up to allow wolf hunting and trapping this fall. Returning this type of unscientific and barbaric ‘management’ to states at this early juncture would spell disaster for true gray wolf recovery, plain and simple.”

The conservation groups have long been active on wolf recovery issues in the American West, including working with Western states to develop science-based wolf management plans, mounting cases to rein in rogue federal government wolf-killing programs, promoting recovery efforts in the Southwest for critically imperiled Mexican gray wolves, and working with local governments and landowners to deploy non-lethal tools that prevent wolf-livestock conflicts.

“With only a handful of wolves in California, western Oregon, and western Washington, wolf recovery is still precarious on the west coast,” said John Mellgren, Western Environmental Law Center general counsel. “A rush to delist the species across the entire country runs counter to the Service’s own peer review, and tells West Coast states that wolf recovery in their part of the country does not matter. We look forward to presenting the science to a federal court.”

While the Trump administration may believe it can disregard science to promote purely political listing decisions, the law does not support such a stance. The best available science says gray wolves are not recovered, and the coalition looks forward to having a court hear their science-based arguments for why wolves still need of Endangered Species Act protections to truly recover across the species range.

“In just the last year, we lost an icon to wolf recovery when OR-7 passed away. He and his mate represent the first generation of wolves in western Oregon in nearly a century,” said Joseph Vaile with the conservation group Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center based in southwest Oregon. “Delisting is clearly premature and obviously politically driven. It’s a last-ditch effort by the Trump administration to strip away protections for recovering wildlife.”

“Removing Endangered Species Act protections for any species should be based science, not politics, and the science tells us wolves are not there yet,” said Chris Bachman, Wildlife Program director at The Lands Council. “The gray wolf remains functionally extinct in 85% of its historic range, with 70% of suitable habitat remaining unoccupied across the lower 48 states. Legal protections must remain in place for the gray wolf to allow wider dispersal across a significant portion of its range.”

“Wolves were nearly exterminated from the lower 48. We should be celebrating the species’ ongoing recovery and the incredible success stories of the Endangered Species Act,” said Nick Cady, Legal Director with Cascadia Wildlands. “Instead, wolves have become another victim of the polarization and political game-playing in Washington D.C., and conservation groups are left battling to stem rising calls for active eradication of the species. Conservation of native species formerly enjoyed widespread bipartisan support. The actions of this administration toward wildlife are shameful.”

“The finger on the trigger of wolf slaughter is driven by anti-government fanatics who foment fear, lies and mistrust. The Endangered Species Act makes such hostility to wild nature more difficult, more closely watched,” said Timothy Coleman, director of Kettle Range Conservation Group and former member of the state Wolf Advisory Group. “Eighty-five percent of wolves we know were killed in Washington were in the Kettle River Range where gray wolf was delisted from the Endangered Species Act in 2009, though it remained state listed endangered. Had it remained Endangered Species Act-listed, entire wolf families would not have been repeatedly killed in northeast Washington. Regionally, this has meant wolves are not dispersing to Mount Rainier and Olympia National Park, or other public lands in the Pacific Northwest.”

“California’s wolves are just starting to return home,” said Tom Wheeler, executive director at the Environmental Protection Information Center. “A politically driven delisting puts wolf recovery in jeopardy by stripping protections at the moment they are needed most.”

“We must learn to coexist with gray wolves. These highly intelligent and social animals play a key role in balancing entire ecosystems,” said Kimberly Baker of the Klamath Forest Alliance. “Federal protection is paramount to safeguarding this nation’s rightful heritage.”

The coalition of western wildlife advocates launching this legal challenge includes WildEarth Guardians, Western Watersheds Project, Cascadia Wildlands, Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC), The Lands Council, Wildlands Network, Klamath Forest Alliance, and Kettle Range Conservation Group, represented by the Western Environmental Law Center. A separate lawsuit is planned by Earthjustice representing national wildlife groups.

The post Western Wolf Coalition Challenges Nationwide Wolf Delisting first appeared on Cascadia Wildlands.

Contacts:
Nick Cady, Cascadia Wildlands, 314-482-3746, nick@cascwild.org
John Mellgren, Western Environmental Law Center, 541-359-0990, mellgren@westernlaw.org
Kelly Nokes, Western Environmental Law Center, 575-613-8051, nokes@westernlaw.org

Today, the Trump administration will announce its decision to prematurely remove endangered species protections for wolves in the lower 48 states, in violation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The most recent data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its state partners show an estimated 4,400 wolves inhabit the western Great Lakes states, but only 108 wolves in Washington state, 158 in Oregon, and a scant 15 in California. These numbers lay the groundwork for a legal challenge planned by a coalition of Western conservation groups.

“It’s a shame that this incredible species has been politicized and is now the latest victim of Trump’s desperate reelection bid,” said Nick Cady with Cascadia Wildlands. “If we give this species a chance, wolves will restore balance to ecosystems across the west and contribute meaningfully to ecological recovery.”

In delisting wolves, the Service ignores the science showing they are not recovered in the West. The Service concluded that because in its belief there are sufficient wolves in the Great Lakes states, it does not matter that wolves in the West are not yet recovered. The ESA demands more, including restoring the species in the ample suitable habitats afforded by the wild public lands throughout the West. Indeed, wolves are listed as endangered under state laws in Washington and California, and wolves only occupy a small portion of available, suitable habitat in Oregon. Likewise, wolves also remain absent across vast swaths of their historical, wild, public lands habitat in the West, including in Colorado and the southern Rockies.

“Given that gray wolves in the lower 48 states occupy a fraction of their historical and currently available habitat, the Fish and Wildlife Service determining they are successfully recovered does not pass the straight-face test,” said John Mellgren, an attorney with the Western Environmental Law Center. “On its face, this appears to be politically motivated. While the Trump administration may believe it can disregard science, the law does not support such a stance. We look forward to having a court hear our science-based arguments for why wolves desperately need Endangered Species Act protections to fully recover.”

The conservation groups have long been active on wolf recovery issues in the American West, including working with western states to develop science-based wolf management plans, mounting cases to rein in rogue federal government wolf-killing programs, promoting recovery efforts in the Southwest for critically imperiled Mexican gray wolves, and furthering non-lethal methods to prevent wolf-livestock conflicts before they occur.

“Wolves are a keystone species whose presence on landscapes regulates animal populations and improves ecosystem health – something the Service has acknowledged for at least 44 years,” said Kelly Nokes, an attorney at the Western Environmental Law Center. “Allowing people to kill wolves in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana has already stunted recovery in those states. Applying this same death sentence to wolves throughout the contiguous U.S., would nationalize these negative effects, with potentially catastrophic ripple effects on ecosystems wherever wolves are found today.”

The best available science says gray wolves are not recovered. Should the Trump administration decline to correct its legal violations by rescinding the delisting decision, WELC and its partners will challenge the premature removal of endangered species protections for gray wolves in federal court at the first opportunity, 60 days after the rule is published in the Federal Register.

###

Go to more information on wolf recovery.

The post Wolves: Groups Will Challenge Trump Admin Removal of Endangered Species Protections in Lower 48 first appeared on Cascadia Wildlands.

Contact:      
Nick Cady, Cascadia Wildlands, (314) 482-3746, nick@cascwild.org

New Directive Reverses State’s Previous Rejection of Petition by Wolf Advocates

SEATTLE — In a win for wolf advocates, Gov. Jay Inslee directed the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission today to draft new rules governing the killing of wolves involved in conflicts with livestock. This action reverses the commission’s denial of a petition filed by advocates in May that called for reforms of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife’s lethal wolf-management policies.

“This is a tremendous victory for Washington’s wolves and all of us who have been speaking out against the state’s relentless wolf-killing,” said Sophia Ressler, a Washington wildlife advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. “We’re hopeful that the development of enforceable wolf-management rules will finally protect our recovering wolf population and make wildlife officials accountable to the public they serve.” 

The new rules will address the use of nonlethal measures to avoid livestock-wolf conflicts. They will likely further examine chronic conflict areas where the state has killed wolves year after year.

The state has killed 34 wolves since 2012. Twenty-nine were killed for the same livestock owner in prime wolf habitat in the Colville National Forest. After the Fish and Wildlife Commission denied the wolf advocates’ petition in June, the groups appealed to the governor, who had 45 days to decide whether to deny the appeal or require the commission to create new wolf-management rules.   

Gov. Inslee’s decision requires the commission to start a formal rulemaking process, which includes giving notice to the public and creating an opportunity to comment on proposed rules. The timeline for this process will be available on the department’s website when the rulemaking is announced.

“The governor’s decision to approve this petition is a necessary step in cleaning up the mess the Department has made of wolf management,” said Jocelyn Leroux, Washington and Montana Director for Western Watersheds Project. “This decision will give a voice to the majority of Washingtonians that do not want to see wolves needlessly slaughtered year after year at the charge of a few livestock producers.”

“Demonstrating a commitment to environmental leadership, Gov. Inslee has put the Department on notice: It’s time for fair rules, and public transparency, when it comes to Washington’s iconic wolves,” said Samantha Bruegger, a wildlife coexistence campaigner at WildEarth Guardians.

“We are so encouraged by this action from Governor Inslee. Enforceable rules around wolf management that incentivize non-lethal techniques and ensure predictable agency responses have been necessary from the beginning. Rules eliminate knee-jerk responses that inflame parties on all sides and make the agency accountable to the public,” said Nick Cady, legal director at Cascadia Wildlands.

Cascadia Wildlands defends and restores Cascadia’s wild ecosystems in the forests, in the courts, and in the streets. We envision vast old-growth forests, rivers full of salmon, wolves howling in the backcountry, and vibrant communities sustained by the unique landscapes of the Cascadia bioregion.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.7 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.

Western Watersheds Project is a nonprofit environmental conservation group working to protect and restore wildlife and watersheds throughout the American West.

WildEarth Guardians (www.wildearthguardians.org) is a conservation nonprofit whose mission is to protect and restore the wildlife, wild places, wild rivers, and health of the American West. Guardians has offices in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington, and over 278,000 members and supporters worldwide.

The post Gov. Inslee Orders Rework of Washington’s Wolf-killing Policies first appeared on Cascadia Wildlands.