Oregon’s wolf population grew by 15% in 2024, marking the first year of double-digit growth since 2019, according to a report released by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
In addition, twenty-six wolf mortalities were documented during the year, including 22 that were human caused.
The minimum known count of wolves in Oregon at the end of 2024 was 204 wolves, an increase of 15% over 2023. Twenty-five packs were documented, and 17 of those packs met the criteria as breeding pairs.
In addition, 18 groups of two or three wolves were identified, but did not meet the definition of a pack.
Wolves continued to expand westward in Oregon with five new packs in the West Wolf Management Zone.
Twenty-six wolf mortalities were documented during the year, including 22 that were human caused.
The department monitored 47 radio-collared wolves, including 23 that were captured and radio collared during 2024. By year’s end, 28 of these wolves were still being actively monitored (14% of the minimum wolf count), while contact with the rest of the collars was lost due to collar failure, wolf death, or dispersal to other states.
There were 69 confirmed events of livestock depredation during 2024 which was a slight decrease from 73 in 2023. Consistent with the Wolf Plan, livestock producers implemented non-lethal measures to minimize depredation prior to any department approval of wolf lethal removal.
Eleven wolves were lethally removed in response to chronic depredation in the East WMZ in 2024. In addition, three wolves were lawfully killed by livestock producers when they were caught in the act of attacking their livestock.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture’s compensation program awarded grants totaling $789,565 to 13 counties in 2024, up from $477,661 in 2023. The majority of the funds (61%) were used for non-lethal preventative measures to reduce depredation, and all requests for compensation of confirmed and probable depredations were granted in full.
In 2024 wolves continue to be protected as a special status game mammal statewide. Wolves west of Highways 395/78/95 are listed under the federal endangered species act making the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service responsible for management decisions regarding harassment and take in that area.
The number of poachings and authorized killings remains concerning.
“I’m relieved to finally see a noteworthy increase in Oregon’s overall wolf population but we’re not in the clear by any means,” said Amaroq Weiss, a senior wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Far too many wolves are being killed illegally and, while state officials are concerned about wolf poaching, they continue to authorize high levels of legal wolf killing over livestock conflicts.”
This is the fourth year in a row with high levels of illegal wolf killings, with at least 51 wolves known to have been poached since 2012. Scientific research has shown that for every illegally slain wolf that’s found, another one to two wolves have been killed and remain undiscovered.
In 2024 the department issued kill orders on members of eight packs in response to conflicts with livestock. As a result, 11 wolves were killed in 2024 in Wallowa, Union, Baker and Grant counties by the agency or by USDA Wildlife Services staff. Ranchers killed an additional three wolves caught in the act of attacking livestock. This total of 14 wolves killed for livestock conflicts in 2024 nearly matches the 16 wolves killed for conflicts in 2023, which was twice as high any previously recorded calendar year since record-keeping began at the start of Oregon’s wolf recovery in 2008.
Of the seven known wolves killed illegally in 2024, one was poached in the area of Oregon where wolves are still fully protected under the federal Endangered Species Act. Six additional poachings occurred in the federally delisted portion of Oregon. Four of the poached wolves were poisoned, leading to gruesome, painful deaths. The eight wolves poached in 2021 and most of the wolves poached in 2023 also were poisoned.
Oregon lost an additional five wolves last year to other causes. One died wolf died after being struck by a vehicle and four died of natural or unknown causes.
Oregon’s state wolf plan has recovery objectives for each half of the state. While eastern Oregon has met the plan’s goals with respect to number of successful breeding pairs for a set number of years, western Oregon has lagged behind. The increase in packs and breeding pairs in western Oregon bodes well for meeting goals, but success will depend on ensuring the level of human-caused mortality does not increase there.
“I’m grateful that Oregon’s wolf population has regained some resiliency and I hope it stays that way because killing wolves breeds more conflict and encourages poachers,” said Weiss. “High wolf mortality can also prevent wolves from recovering statewide if breeding animals are killed. This year’s encouraging growth indicates things are going in a better direction, but success requires ending the epidemic of killing.”