Animal Abuse Cases - Details

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Endangered gray wolves shot - (various, ID - US)

Crime Date: 10/00/2004
Case Status: Open
Reward: $5000.00
Abusers/Suspects:
*Suspect(s) Unknown - Need your help!

Case Report

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said four gray wolves have been found shot dead in Idaho since October. Now the hunt is on for the people who illegally pulled the trigger.

A $5,000 reward per wolf is offered for information leading to convictions but an Idaho hunting group - which opposed the initial reintroducing of wolves - said finding the poachers is unlikely.

The evidence is undeniable: four gray wolves shot to death in Idaho's backcountry. "This concerns me," said Craig Tabor of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "any amount of illegal wildlife whether it be wolves, eagles or anything else we're responsible for and killing them illegal is unacceptable."

"One of those wolves killed was up here from the Timberline wolf pack," said Suzanne Stone of Defender's of Wildlife. Her group is donating part of the $5,000 per wolf reward money. "Killing them illegally - it's just absolutely senseless."

Idaho Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife agree...to an extent. "We certainly don't condone this kind of behavior," said Nate Helm, "it's breaking the law, we don't support that in the slightest...but the however part still plays a part."

The "however" is this: Helm said with more than 50 documented wolf packs in Idaho the state has seen an increase in the wolf population this year. He said he doesn't see these four deaths throwing a wrench in wolf reintroduction here. "I don't see this contributing to a decline in the population and it certainly doesn't hamper our ability to delist wolves," said Helm.

The wolves are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Illegally killing one is punishable with up to a $100,000 fine and jail time. But Helm thinks the chances of catching the culprits are... "about a zero."

To a degree, Tabor said he's right. "Our experience has been that we don't typically hear much from the public," he said, "and that's unfortunate."

Even though some may not support wolf reintroduction here, Tabor said he hopes everyone would support obeying the law and helping hunt down those who didn't.

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