UNION COUNTY, Ore. – Several wolves from northeast Oregon were poisoned. Now, police are looking for those who are responsible.
This past February, Oregon State Police were made aware of at least one dead, collared wolf in rural Union County. When OSP Fish and Wildlife Division troopers got to the scene, they found five dead wolves which were the entirety of the Catherine Pack.
The wolves were taken to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Lab in Ashland to determine the cause of death.
While that was happening, another dead wolf from the Keating Pack was found in the same general location.
OSP troopers collected evidence and other deceased animals in the area over the span of a few weeks.
In April, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined all six wolves and the other animals were likely poisoned.
After the initial incidents, two more collared wolves were found dead in Union County. They were from the Five Points Pack and Clark Creek Pack. While the cause of death wasn’t apparent at the time, toxicology reports confirmed the presence of different types of poison in both wolves.
OSP Fish and Wildlife troopers continued the investigation in the following months, but they reportedly exhausted all of their leads. Now, they’re asking for help.
Anyone with information about the wolf deaths is asked to call OSP at 1-800-452-7888. Tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward.
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