Gray Wolf Illegally Killed Near Idaho City
BOISE –
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering a $5,000 reward for information
leading to the arrest or conviction of the person who killed a gray wolf
near Mores Creek Summit north of Idaho City.
The wolf, a collared female known as “B-158,” was killed sometime between
October 5 and October 11 off of Forest Road 323.
“We are very interested in finding whoever is responsible for this crime,”
said Craig Tabor, Resident Agent in Charge in the Service’s Boise field
office. “The loss of any wolf is significant in terms of wolf recovery and
ultimate delisting in Idaho, but particularly so with radio-collared
wolves. Each animal fitted with a radio-collar represents many hours of
effort spent to find, capture, collar, and release wolves so that
biologists not only can monitor them, but can take steps to prevent
livestock depredations.”
B-158 has been sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service forensics lab in
Ashland, Oregon, for necropsy to further determine specifics about its
death.
The reward money is being offered by the Service and Defenders of
Wildlife.
The killing of an animal protected under the Endangered Species Act is
punishable by a fine of up to $100,000 and one year in jail. The Service
is requesting that anyone who may have information regarding this wolf
death to please contact law enforcement agents at (208) 378-5333.