At least 22 wolves are known or suspected to have been poached across Washington since 2022.
SEATTLE — Officials raised its reward Monday for information after three endangered wolves were found dead in Klickitat and Okanogan counties in Washington.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife raised its reward to $10,000 for information leading to arrests and convictions in each illegal killing case. The latest wolf killing was announced on Friday.
An adult male gray wolf was killed near U.S Highway 142 and Goldendale in Klickitat County in late September or October of last year, according to a release. Another female gray wolf was found dead southwest of Twisp in Okanogan County on Oct. 20. The latest illegal wolf killing was reported in Klickitat County near Trout Lake around Dec. 17.
“I’m so saddened by the illegal killings of yet more Washington wolves, which add to the enormous spike in human-caused wolf mortality here in recent years,” said Amaroq Weiss, senior wolf advocate at the Center. “These beautiful animals didn’t deserve to die this way, and whoever killed them should face the full force of the law.”
The three wolves were killed in a part of the state where wolves are federally protected under the Endangered Species Act. The Center for Biological Diversity also offered a $10,000 reward in each case in addition to the reward provided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife.
According to a release, at least 22 wolves are known or suspected to have been poached across Washington since 2022. Scientists have found that for every illegally slain wolf found, there are one or two more wolves that were killed but have not been discovered.
