Defenders Offers Big Reward to Catch Idaho Wolf Poisoners
July 24, 2001
News Release.BOISE, Idaho. Defenders of Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for illegally poisoning endangered gray wolves in central Idaho.
At least four of the federally protected wolves -- and possibly dozens more -- have been poisoned with Compound 1080, one of the world´s deadliest substances and the Fish and Wildlife Service has issued a public health alert warning backcountry visitors to take extra precautions with their children and dogs.
Defenders of Wildlife also sent public-service announcements to radio stations across Idaho urging listeners to be careful in the backcountry.
The wolves are believed to have been poisoned by extremists bent on eradicating the animals from the Idaho wilderness. The causes of the deaths of four wolves have been confirmed as poisonings by the Fish and Wildlife Service, and several dozen more wolves are suspected to have died as a result of Compound 1080. Anyone with information regarding the illegal killings should contact Special Agent Paul Weyland, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Law Enforcement at 208 378-5333.
“The criminals who are doing this are not only killing endangered wildlife, they could also kill any human or animal that comes in contact with the poison, including family dogs and possibly even children and hikers. We will offer our reward and whatever other assistance we can provide until those responsible are caught,” Defenders of Wildlife Idaho representative Suzanne Laverty said.
Odorless and tasteless, 1080 causes convulsions, vomiting, spinal pressure, renal failure, and eventual organ failure. It´s deadly to humans, and there´s no known antidote. Defenders worked to ban 1080 use in the 1970s and 1980s because of the cruel and unusual way in which it kills.
Killing an endangered species is punishable by law with up to one year in jail and a $100,000 fine.
According to Agent Weyland, the poison has been found in the Salmon Challis National Forest and Sawtooth National Forest near Fairfield. “The poison has the ability to remain lethal for months or longer,” Weyland warned.
Investigators from several agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Idaho state Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are working on this case.
“Compound 1080 is extremely toxic, and the public should take serious precautions to avoid any exposure to this poison,” EPA senior compliance officer Lyn Frandsen said. “Illegal distribution of Compound 1080 is criminally publishable by penalties up to $50,000 and a year in jail.”
Weyland added: “There is a five-year statute of limitations on these crimes, and we will use all of that time, if needed, to identify the person or persons responsible for this criminal act.”
Idaho Poison Center director Dr. Alvin C. Bronstein urges anyone who suspects exposure to the poison to seek emergency medical attention. “This is a highly dangerous substance and can be lethal in very small doses,” he said. “The public should keep their children, dogs and cats away from any unknown substance while in the backcountry.”
The Idaho Poison Center can be reached at 1-800-860-0620.
Here´s the public-service announcement from Defenders of Wildlife now available for broadcast on Idaho radio stations:
Announcer: “If you plan on hiking in central Idaho, here´s a word of warning. Compound 1080, a poison that kills animals, has been spread on public lands by people who want to illegally kill wolves. But 1080 kills a wide range of animals and also is lethal to people. And, once released, it lasts for months. So, be careful, and keep your children and pets away from carcasses or anything suspicious.
Compound 1080 is deadly. To wolves. To pets. To people. For more information, visit a new web site, www.Compound1080.org.”
The Fish and Wildlife Service began restoring gray wolves to the remote wildernesses of central Idaho and the Yellowstone ecosystem of the Northern Rocky Mountains in 1995.
For the rare instances in which wolves kill livestock, Defenders maintains a $200,000 fund to compensate ranchers.
Defenders also has been helping protect livestock by paying cowboys to ride herd, buying guard dogs, and buying and installing electric fences. Defenders also has contributed more than $20,000 for research on techniques to prevent wolf predation on domestic livestock.
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