FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Statement on Wolf Kill Order

ODFW Authorizes Lethal Action Against Two Gray Wolves

Statement of Steve Pedery, Conservation Director for Oregon Wild:

“We are saddened today to learn that ODFW has authorized the killing of two healthy gray wolves living just outside the Eagle Cap Wilderness in northeast Oregon. These wolves represent a significant percentage of the newly reestablished Oregon wolf population that is no larger than 10 animals. The two wolves were killed in response to their repeated depredations of livestock on a ranch located near the Wilderness. The authorization of these killings under the Oregon Wolf Management Plan should dispel any myth that citizens of Oregon need more authority to kill gray wolves.”

“While ODFW had worked to haze the wolves, and the local rancher made efforts to protect his livestock from depredation, we still must ask if we can do more. With recovery efforts just underway in Oregon, and wolves in Idaho and Montana threatened by premature plans for wolf hunts, Oregonians should do all that we can to ensure the successful management of our fledgling wolf population. Today’s authorization of lethal action serves as a reminder that our wolf management plan may need to be strengthened to allow for the broader relocation of wolves that repeatedly prey on livestock. With hundreds of thousands of acres of prime wolf habitat across the state, relocation should be a powerful recovery tool for wildlife managers. We hope today’s wolf killings are a minor setback in the continued effort to restore this native species to its important role in our natural systems.”

###