A yearling wolf of Oregon's newest pack, Indigo, was killed along Hwy 138. Wildlife experts think his behavior around humans indicated he was being fed by travelers from their vehicles. OR 143 was a member of one of the few remaining packs living in southwest Oregon. He was killed by a vehicle strike. In its update report, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife stated, "The level of illegal wolf take in Oregon remains unacceptably high..."
The annual report for 2022 was released in April, and it shows another stagnant year for Oregon wolves due to poaching. Of the 27 known deaths, 17 were human caused Wolves have found sanctuary in areas where they are still federally protected west of Hwy 395. According to Oregon Wild, a conservation group, the states wildlife management agency rubber stamps about half of the number of human kills. Only one kill was known to have occurred from animal predation (cougar). Statistics show that when legal protections are reduced, poaching increases.
