http://www.conservationnw.org/news/scat/cascades-wolf-killed
by Jasmine Minbashian at Sep 27, 2013

Yesterday we were disappointed to learn the disturbing news of yet another wolf killed in the North Cascades. Details are forthcoming, but action to stop the unnecessary loss of wolves in these areas–getting us that much closer to recovery–should not be.

Andy Walgamott of Northwest Sportsman reported the scant information that currently exists on the incident. Here’s what we do know, gleaned from a report from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife:

Pasayten Wolf Mortality: Biologist Fitkin and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Biologist Rohrer assisted Officers Christensen, McCormick and Treser with an investigation of a wolf killed by a hunter in the Pasayten Wilderness. The animal appeared to be a young, uncollared adult female in good condition. We have not previously verified wolf activity in this portion of the wilderness area and don’t know if the animal is part of an active pack or a solo wanderer. The circumstances of the animal’s death remain under investigation.

The Pasayten Wilderness is in the North Cascades recovery region, where only two known breeding pairs have been confirmed by state biologists. Wolves in this region are still protected under the federal Endangered Species Act and under the state’s wolf conservation and management plan. The North Cascades region has been sadly plagued with illegal wolf kills in the last five years, slowing recovery and making us ask: Why? And how do we change this unfortunate pattern? At this rate of loss, recovery will take much longer if we don’t step up.

For starters, we think more education and outreach is needed to hunters who hold permits within the territory of known wolf packs. The US Fish and Wildlife Service can assist the state and play a valuable role in providing resources and expertise to help with this effort, but instead they have announced they are looking to abandon wolf recovery in the Cascades in the coming year. Losing additional resources for wolf recovery will certainly not help this tenuous situation.

Conservation Northwest helped organize an Eyes in the Woods training in the Methow Valley this spring, and we are organizing another this October 23rd in Cle Elum – near Teanaway Pack territory. We’ve also partnered with WDFW wildlife enforcement to create a reward fund for any information leading to the conviction of anyone who had killed protected wildlife illegally.

But clearly more needs to be done. We call on USFWS, WDFW to join us in stepping up efforts to reduce human-caused death of wolves in the North Cascades.

We’ll keep you posted as we learn more details about this case.