The northern entrance to Yellowstone near Gardiner, MT | Photo: Yunner | Cover Photo:
National Park Service officials are offering up a reward of $5,000 to anyone with conclusive information regarding an illegal shooting of a white wolf in Yellowstone National Park.
Related: Experts Puzzled After 40 Dogs Were Killed By Wolves In Wisconsin
The dying wolf was discovered by hikers on April 11th near the northern border of the park, close to Old Yellowstone Trail just south of Gardiner, MT. Shortly after the discovery, park officials were forced to euthanize the animal after realizing the animal had been fatally wounded. A necropsy report completed in Oregon confirmed that the animal had been shot with a rifle.
“Due to the serious nature of this incident, a reward of up to $5,000.00 is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for this criminal act” – Dan Wenk, Yellowstone National Park Superintendent
The wolf in question had been a fixture among the wolf reintroduction plan in Yellowstone and is believed to have given birth to over 20 pups in her abbreviated, 12 year life span.
A reintroduced wolf pictured in Yellowstone | Photo: Barry O’Neill
If you have any info on the matter please contact park officials:
- CALL the ISB Tip Line 888-653-0009
- TEXT to 202-379-4761
- ONLINE www.nps.gov/isb and click “Submit a Tip”
- EMAIL nps_isb@nps.gov
- MESSAGE via Facebook @InvestigativeServicesNPS or Twitter @SpecialAgentNPS
Find the entire NPS release here: Preliminary Necropsy Results Reveal Well-Known Wolf Shot
