Wolf OR7 could be dead, wildlife officials say

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – The wolf that fathered the Rogue Pack may be dead, according to wildlife officials.

OR7 was born in northeastern Oregon in 2009. He was fitted with a radio tracking collar two years later and ended up leaving his pack, wandering across the state before establishing a territory in Klamath and Jackson Counties. In 2014, OR7 and his mate produced three pups, with a second litter the next year. They became known as the Rogue Pack.

In a wolf program update published on April 15, 2020, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said OR7’s presence was not documented during the winter count.

“We don’t know if OR7 has died, but it would be reasonable to assume considering his age, which is old for a wolf in the wild,” said ODFW Wolf Coordinator Roblyn Brown. “It is natural for packs to change over time as individual wolves are born, disperse or die.”

No new pups were added to the Rogue Pack in 2019.