Oregon Wildblog

A young Oregonian asks: Should wolves be taken off the endangered species list?

I’m Eleanor Solomon, and I’m a 9th grader at Riverdale High School. I am a part-time intern at Oregon Wild, and I care deeply about wildlife. The wildlife that are struggling to survive have no hope against hunters, poachers, and just ordinary human beings, so it’s our job to stand up for them and protect them. This month, as my first post, I have decided to write about gray wolves being taken off the endangered species list.

Oregonians Help OR-7 Celebrate Father's Day by Asking for Permanent Protection

Just in time for Father’s Day on Sunday, June 15, Oregon’s wolves made history. The famous wandering wolf, OR-7 (known as Journey), became a father. Spotted in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, this is the first time pups have been recorded in western Oregon in nearly a century. The news shows that, with protections, Oregon’s wolf recovery can stay on track.

OR-7 - Wolves come full circle

OR-7 has touched many lives. His journey (pun intended) across the state has inspired a movie, an expedition, and even art! The news around wildlife and wolves can be pretty grim so we're always glad to have reason to celebrate. After eliminating wolves from Oregon, they are once again beginning to retake their place on the landscape in what remains a fragile recovery.

Welcome Oregon Wild's 2014 Summer Wildlife Intern!

Hello! My name is Danica Swenson and I’m Oregon Wild’s Wildlife Intern this summer in the Portland Office. I’m currently a rising second year law student at Lewis and Clark Law School studying Environmental and Animal law. When I’m not reading for school or work, I’m out adventuring or volunteering at a local wildlife rehabilitation center.

Wilderness Area of the Week - Copper Salmon

Tucked away in the northwest corner of the Siskiyou National Forest, 11 miles east of Port Orford on the Elk River, lies a 13,700-acre gem. Adjacent to the east boundary of Grassy Knob Wilderness, this natural wonder, known as Copper Salmon, includes the North and South Forks of Elk River. The congressional bill that designated Copper Salmon as a protected wilderness area was signed by President Obama in March of 2009, making it one of Oregon’s newest protected areas.

Keeping Wolves Alive in Oregon

Oregon's Minam wolf pack is relatively new on the scene and, like most Oregon packs, has not come into conflict with humans or their livestock.

Spring Migration on the Pacific Flyway!

Springtime in the Klamath Basin brings sunshine...and sleet...and wind...and rain...and snow...aaaaaaand a tiny bit of thunder. But no one attending Oregon Wild’s recent birding trip seemed to mind this atmospheric multiple personality disorder. After all, it’s been a painfully dry winter, so the Basin can use every last drop of water. Besides, we were really there to see the spectacle of birds in full migration mode along the Pacific Flyway.

One Bullet Kills an Entire Pack

Wolf 755M (right) was the alpha male of the Lamar Canyon Pack seen here with 889F (left) the fourth wolf with whom he has tried to restart a pack after his mate was shot and killed outside Yellowstone Nat'l Park.

Keeping the Wild

By whatever name he’s known, the story of Journey (OR-7) has captured imaginations around the world. It’s but a chapter in the broader story of wolf recovery. And like that bigger story, the end is uncertain. As a number of news outlets have recently noted, the battery that has powered the collar that made Journey famous just outlived its life expectancy.

Any day now, the battery that has sent signals to a satellite and back down to earth may fail; leaving a collared wolf - unconcerned with his name or what people think of him - to continue on with his day-to-day life.