A recent discovery in Oregon shows promising progress for a rare species that was once endangered.
As the Gazette explains, a recent report released by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in December found that the number of wolves in Oregon increased from 178 to 204 last year. OPB revealed that the 15% increase marks the first time in eighty years that the number of endangered species has exceeded 200.
Gray wolves once thrived in Oregon and throughout the West Coast, and “extermination campaigns led by ranchers in the 19th century nearly wiped them out by 1950,” according to OPB. The species did not appear again in Oregon until a lone wolf was discovered in 1999, with numbers steadily increasing year by year.
Susan Prince, co-founder of Sister Wolves Welcoming Committee, an advocacy group dedicated to protecting wolves in central Oregon, told The Gazette that rising wolf numbers are a sign of environmental prosperity.
“They’re an indicator of a healthy ecosystem, especially in the Metorius area. There’s a lot of contiguous land there that could support these wolves. That’s a real benefit, it’s a good sign that these wolves came here on their own and are trying to stay,” Prince said.
Aaron Bott, a wolf biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, told The Gazette that evidence from radio collar data, trail camera images, aerial surveys and tracking surveys have been used to track the minimum number of Oregon wolf populations, but the actual number is likely higher.
WATCH NOW: Giant snails invading New York City?
“While we know there are more wolves out there, we only report what we can confidently document. This approach provides a conservative and verifiable baseline that reflects only those wolves we can confirm were present at the end of the year,” Bote said.
The increase in wolf numbers has not been without opposition, as some have expressed concerns about the safety of local livestock and the pressure on cattle and sheep herds, which could have significant health impacts. Still, wolves in certain areas of Oregon are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, and decisions about killing wolves in that area fall to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Bote said the goal for wildlife managers is to help increase wolf populations to manageable numbers that are safe for everyone.
“What matters most is not just the number of wolves in one place, but the ability to maintain interconnected, genetically diverse wolf populations across the region,” Bote told The Gazette. “The goal is a sustainable, resilient recovery based on actual coexistence.”
Join our free newsletter good news and Useful tipsand don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
