WDFW: poison may have caused deaths
Several wildlife advocacy organizations are offering a combined $30,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in the illegal killing of four wolves in northeastern Washington earlier this year.
In announcing the reward last week, the groups criticized the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) for not sharing information about the wolf deaths until more than three months after the wolves were discovered.
A WDFW spokesperson said information was not released earlier to avoid jeopardizing an active investigation into the killings.
Deputies from the Stevens County sheriff’s office discovered four dead wolves on Feb. 18, while on a snowmobile patrol, according to a news release from the wildlife organizations. “An incident report indicates that the deputies reported the deaths immediately to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife but didn’t hear back from the agency,” the release said.
Department staff stated for the first time last week that they are actively investigating dead wolves in Stevens County but have not provided further details, according to the release. The report did not find any evidence of bullet holes or physical trauma to the wolves, which suggests their deaths may have been the result of poisoning, the release said.
“This is devastating news for Washington’s wolves, and each senseless killing must be fully investigated,” said Sophia Ressler, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “If poachers are allowed to get off scot-free, it only encourages them to kill again. Fish and Wildlife must follow through and bring the perpetrators to justice,” Ressler said.
“The Department has chosen to paint a glowing picture of wolf recovery in Washington, rather than be honest with the public about this tragedy,” said Samantha Bruegger, executive director of Washington Wildlife First. “The public, and the wolves, deserve better. We call on the Department to be open with the public about the extent of the illegal killing of wolves in the state, and we ask the public to provide whatever information they can to aid in this investigation.”
WDFW’s explanation
“WDFW chose to withhold information in this case to put law enforcement in the best position possible to carry out their investigation,” Julia Smith, WDFW wolf policy lead, said in response to the statements by the wildlife groups.
“We all want to see poachers brought to justice. Sometimes, in order to avoid jeopardizing an active investigation, information is not released to prevent evidence destruction, protect officer safety, and ensure a case isn’t compromised. We want to collect enough information such that a solid case can be referred to a prosecutor. Without sufficient evidence, a conviction cannot be made,” Smith said.
“This approach is line with what other states have done,” Smith added. “The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife documented wolf poaching incidents in February 2021, and didn’t share that information publicly until December 2021.” She said a cash reward offered for information in the Oregon incidents has not resulted in any arrests to date.
“Although we welcome and appreciate rewards being offered, offering a reward in itself isn’t a compelling reason to make an investigation public. I’ve spent almost a decade working on wolves, and I cannot provide a single example of a monetary award leading to the conviction of a wolf poacher,” Smith said.
“Typically, we get to the stage of offering rewards for information when there are no avenues of investigation remaining for law enforcement. From my experience, the only thing that leads to convictions is evidence, and the only thing that leads to evidence is a sound investigation,” she said.
“If this is in fact a poisoning situation, putting poison out on the landscape for any unsuspecting creature to feed on is one of the most loathsome things a person can do,” said Brooks Fahy, executive director of Predator Defense. “It’s not just about killing wolves. It’s also about wanting them to suffer. Poisons also pose a serious threat to other wildlife and pets and are a public safety risk.”
“Washington has a poaching problem and wildlife managers need to be more responsible when it comes to promoting education about co-existence with native endangered species,” said Steph Taylor, president of Speak for Wolves.
Wolf recovery efforts in Washington “have been wrought with politics,” said Rachel Bjork, president of Northwest Animal Rights Network. “The fact that we are just now hearing about these wolf deaths months later … leads us to believe that the department has no real interest in accountability to the public.”
The $30,000 reward is being offered by the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, Northwest Animal Rights Network, Predator Defense, Speak for Wolves, Washington Wildlife First, and Western Watersheds Project. Anyone who might have information regarding the incident should call the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife at (360) 902-2928, visit the department’s website and report a violation, or text WDFWTIP to 847411.
