Press Room

Today, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife released confirmation of a new gray wolf in the Keno Unit in the southwest Cascades. The confirmation is based on a partial photo of a wolf on a trailcam and reports of tracks over time, first noted in December.

“The story of wolves returning to parts of Oregon that have been without them for the better part of a century is a tremendous conservation success story! It's great news for Oregonians who value native wildlife,” said Rob Klavins of Oregon Wild.

“Oregon has a unique wolf plan that prioritizes preventing conflict. The plan is working. In the last three years, Oregon is the only state with a meaningful population of wolves that didn't kill them,” continued Klavins. “Under the most progressive plan in the country, the still fragile population has grown while conflict has declined. That stands in stark contrast to the failed kill-first policies of neighboring states like Idaho.”

“Recent science has debunked the old-school mentality that killing wolves is the only solution to conflict, and reinforced why it is important to not repeat the mistakes of the past.  Conflict, controversy, and killing hasn't benefited anyone, certainly not the wolves. It's important for ODFW to continue to proactively reach out to responsible stakeholders in the region to provide support and education. ”

Under Oregon’s current wolf plan that emphasizes preventative and non-lethal conflict management, no wolf has been killed in three years. A recent study out of Washington State University found that killing wolves increases conflict and livestock depredations.