Six dead wolves have been discovered in the state’s remote northeastern corner, according to state wildlife officials.
According to the state Fish and Wildlife Department, four carcasses were found in February and two more were found recently.
According to toxicology findings, all six of the wolves’ deaths were caused by poisoning, the department reported.
Since last year, Fish and Wildlife police have been conducting investigations.
The federal government has declared grey wolves endangered in the western two-thirds of the state, and the state has categorized them as endangered.
Killing an animal that is a member of an endangered species in the state is a misdemeanour, and offenders risk up to $5,000 in fines and a year in jail.
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Nonprofit organizations have contributed to a prize for information that results in the capture and conviction of those accountable for the deaths of wolves. On Monday, it stood at $51,400.
Defenders of Wildlife claimed to have given $2,500 to the fund-raising effort. The group’s wolf biologist, Zo Hanley, called the fatalities “a heartbreaking, avoidable loss.”
In a statement, she said: “This cruel conduct belies the dedicated efforts of biologists, lawmakers, and ranchers striving to rehabilitate and cohabit with wolves in Washington.”
Following a string of deadly wolf attacks on cattle that led to disputes with ranchers in 2020, the Fish and Wildlife Department renewed workers’ permission to kill one to two wolves in the area.
The wolves, who are a part of the Wedge pack, prowl Stevens County’s northeastern region.
At the end of 2021, according to Fish and Wildlife officials, there were 206 recognized wolves in 33 packs in Washington.
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