Stopping Poaching
If you see suspicious illegal wildlife activity, here are some steps you can take to protect Oregon’s wildlife.
- Call 1-800-452-7888 or email TIP@osp.oregon.gov
- Notify someone from the Oregon Wildlife Coalition, which includes Oregon Wild
- Tell your friends and family about the TIP program and the Anti-Poaching Reward Fund
Because of the secrecy of the illegal activity and difficulties catching poachers, we will likely never have a full picture of how extensive and pervasive poaching is in the state. Likely, the true number of poaching is much higher than what is reported, perhaps by as much as 4-10 undetected additional poaching incidents per reported case. For imperiled species with small populations like wolves and coastal marten, even one or two incidents of poaching can be detrimental to the animal’s recovery.
-
Poaching by the Numbers
Since 2016, more than 11,000 cases of illegal terrestrial animal killing have been reported in Oregon. When aquatic species are included, this number grows to a staggering 110,000 animals poached since 2012. Poaching rates vary from year to year. For example, in 2016 there were 35,000+ crabs illegally harvested alone.
For imperiled species, especially those that are on the endangered species list, even one or two poaching incidents can cause irreparable harm to recovery. In 2021 alone, at least 8 wolves were poisoned and killed by poachers. Considering that the number of known wolves in Oregon hovers around 170, this is a significant percentage.
-
What we do to combat illegal poaching
To combat this pervasive poaching problem, wildlife conservation allies across Oregon (known as the Oregon Wildlife Coalition) created a Stop Poaching Reward Fund to incentivize members of the public to report any illegal or suspicious wildlife activity. This program complements the existing TIP (Turn In Poachers) reward program, and includes additional mammals, birds, and threatened and endangered species.
Key Staff
- Danielle MoserWildlife Program Manager
