Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) wildlife biologists counted 124 wolves in Oregon this past winter, an 11 percent increase over the number counted last year.
“The wolf population continues to grow and expand its range in Oregon,” said Roblyn Brown, ODFW Wolf Coordinator. “This year, we also documented resident wolves in the northern part of Oregon’s Cascade Mountains for the first time.”
This count is based on verified wolf evidence (like visual observations, tracks, and remote camera photographs) and is considered the minimum known wolf population, not an estimate of how many wolves are in Oregon.
Twelve wolf packs were documented at the end of 2017. Eleven packs were successful breeding pairs, meaning that at least two adults and two pups survived to the end of the year. This marks a 38 percent increase in breeding pairs from 2016.
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation recognizes predators have a proper place on the landscape. RMEF supports science-based management of all wildlife including wolves, lions, and bears, and fully endorses the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, which maintains fish and wildlife belong to all citizens and are to be scientifically managed through hunting and other means so all populations can thrive forever.
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(Photo source: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife)