Wolves in Oregon

Gray wolves once roamed Oregon, but intensive hunting and trapping wiped them out. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, wolves began naturally dispersing back into Oregon from Idaho. The first established breeding pair was confirmed in 2008, marking the beginning of wolf recovery in the state. Notably, OR-7 traveled from Oregon to California and back, helping to establish the first wolf pack in California in nearly a century. By 2023, Oregon's wolf population was estimated at around 178 wolves, primarily in the northeastern part of the state. Wolves in western Oregon remain protected under the federal Endangered Species Act, while those in eastern Oregon are managed under state law. Despite these protections, poaching remains the biggest threat to wolf recovery in Oregon. In 2023 alone, 12 wolves were killed illegally. Oregonians play a crucial role in the survival and recovery of wolves in our state and nationwide.

What's at Stake

Gray wolves at risk

Today, gray wolves survive in just 10% of their historical range in the lower 48 states. The Endangered Species Act offers them the strongest legal protection, prohibiting hunting and trapping. However, wolves in the Northern Rockies have already lost these federal safeguards, and new legislation threatens others.

Legislative threats

Don’t be deceived by the name. The Trust the Science Act (H.R. 764/S. 1895) aims to strip federal protections from gray wolves across the U.S. and prevent judicial review, meaning courts would have no power to overturn it. Having narrowly passed the House, it’s now under Senate consideration. Additionally, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025 (H.R. 8998), currently circulating in Congress, includes a “rider” in Section 130 to remove federal protections from gray wolves in the lower 48 states.

Deadly consequences

Without federal protections, hundreds of wolves are slaughtered each year in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming under extreme anti-wolf laws passed in these states. In Wisconsin, when federal protections were briefly lifted, trophy hunters killed 218 wolves in less than three days—more than double the allotted quota. If more wolves lose protections, we could see similar tragedies occur across the country.

Beyond gray wolves

Like gray wolves, the critically endangered Mexican gray wolves (‘lobos’) in Arizona and New Mexico are facing similar legislative threats, while red wolves in North Carolina are clinging perilously close to extinction in the wild. The urgency to protect America's wolves could not be greater.

Elect to Protect

Now is the time to act—before its too late. Vote for officials who will protect wolves and raise your voice for their future.

Your Elected Officals