Baby wolf lost fear of people because they kept feeding it. Then it got struck by car
A young gray wolf was killed by a vehicle along an Oregon highway after losing its fear around people — likely because of people feeding it, wildlife officials said.
The 1-year-old wolf was struck Tuesday, June 13, along Highway 138 near the entrance to Lemolo Lake in the Umpqua National Forest, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Lemolo Lake is about 80 miles north of Crater Lake.
The wolf, identified and known as OR-143, was part of the Indigo wolf pack and had been showing “a lack of wariness around people” around the forest, the U.S. Forest Service said in a May 30 Facebook post.
Videos and photos of the pup showed it approaching vehicles and lying down near them. The animal was also not “reacting to human voice or honking horns,” forest officials said.
Wildlife officers collared the animal May 18, and tracking information showed it stuck around the same area, officials said.
Then the animal was struck by a road nearly a month later.
The wolf’s unusual behavior was likely because of people feeding the animal, officials said.
Feeding the wolf is like feeding bears that then approach people, Meghan Dugan, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, told the Salem Statesman Journal.
A 2-year-old collared wolf that has been spotted with the yearling in the past is still roaming the area, officials said. It has also shown signs of “loss of wariness towards people,” so it’s a safety risk for people.
Wildlife officials will confirm the cause of death of OR-143.
The Indigo wolf pack roams around Douglas County and was last reported having four wolves during the winter count. The pack also included a surviving pup that wasn’t included in the count.
What to do if you see a wolf
- Stay calm and stay alert
- Talk in a loud or firm voice
- Never approach a wolf
- Always stay 100 yards away
- Leave the area if you can
- If a wolf approaches, don’t run
- Make noise by shouting, clapping or throwing objects
- Try to appear large by raising arms and picking up children
Report aggressive behavior to local wildlife authorities, and call 911 if there’s an attack.
This story was originally published June 16, 2023 at 5:49 PM with the headline "Baby wolf lost fear of people because they kept feeding it. Then it got struck by car."
