Category Archives: Dept. of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW)

Authorities: Ashland cougar was a ‘textbook case’ for lethal removal

A woman was walking her cat on a leash Thursday morning near Glendale Avenue when a cougar attacked the cat. The woman hit the cougar with a tomato plant, which apparently drove it away, according to the dispatch notes available, Ashland police Chief Tighe O’Meara told Ashland.news. When the cougar was again spotted in the […]
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State trooper shoots, kills cougar in Ashland backyard

The “all clear” was given shortly after 3 p.m. Thursday by Rogue Valley Emergency Management in connection with a stand-off with a cougar that attacked a cat in the backyard of residence on Glendale Avenue in Ashland on Thursday afternoon. The cougar was shot at about 2:40 p.m. Thursday on Glendale Avenue. Authorities “all agreed […]
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Not cuddly: How to keep distance between you and bears

They’re plenty cute when they’re off in the distance, just being fuzzy bears. They’re less cute when they come into your neighborhood and start turning over trash cans. And the cute is gone when you come face-to-face with a black bear. With spring warming up and people getting outside more, some bear-human interactions are all […]
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Oregon DEQ under resourced to face enormity of climate change challenges, audit finds

Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality is significantly understaffed and underfunded, state auditors find. Oregon’s environmental regulatory agency needs more staff and funding to keep up with growing demand for its services as climate change escalates, according to a new state analysis. Auditors from the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office, who published their findings Wednesday, said […]
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Explore Oregon Podcast: Iconic Oregon fish makes big rebound

In this episode of the Explore Oregon Podcast, host Zach Urness talks about the rebound of one of Oregon’s most iconic fish from near extinction. Urness was interviewed by “Think Out Loud” host Dave Miller on Oregon Public Broadcasting about why this year’s run of winter steelhead in the Upper Willamette Basin was so special. […]
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Wolf deaths have grown ‘alarming’ says Oregon Fish and Wildlife

Oregon’s gray wolf population did not increase last year due in part to a large number of wolves killed by people, causing concern among conservationists and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife officials. The latest Annual Wolf Report found the population remained steady at 178 wolves, marking the first time in eight years that their […]
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Wolf killings in Oregon at all-time high while population remains stagnant

Oregon’s wolf population count remained the same as last year, although the animals continue to expand their habitat westward, according to a new state report. Large numbers of wolves killed by people likely contributed to the plateauing number, environmental groups said. Wildlife officials also cited limited habitat in northeastern Oregon, where most packs now live. […]
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Oregon’s wolf population plateaus for the first time in more than a decade

Oregon’s gray wolf population took several hits in 2023, causing its growth rate to drop to zero for the first time since wolves started returning to the state. Data from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s annual wolf report for 2023 says biologists were able to count 178 wolves across the state, the exact number […]
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Oregon’s wolf population shows no growth in 2023

Oregon’s wolf population was unchanged in 2023 due to the killing of wolves that attacked livestock, illegal poisonings and relocations to Colorado, according to an annual report released April 12. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife listed the state’s minimum number of wolves at the end of 2023 at 178, nearly triple the population […]
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Bill Monroe: Willamette hatcheries may get the federal hook

Oregon and Washington fish hatcheries seem like low-hanging fruit these days. They face a litany of challenges, many based on lawsuits falsely (albeit well-intentioned) accusing hatchery fish of interfering-with and out-competing wild salmon and steelhead. Source: Bill Monroe: Willamette hatcheries may get the federal hook – oregonlive.com