$10K Reward Offered For Wisconsin Wolf Poachers

The wolf battle in Wisconsin continues to heat up.  As a method of combating "wild claims" on some social media sites, an animal protection group has put their money with their mouth is:  offering a $10,000 reward for "any reports of illegal wolf killings that lead to an arrest and conviction of any poachers".

Friction between hunters and animal rights groups has escalated since the wolf was delisted from the federal endangered species list earlier this year.  Since then, legal pleadings have put a hold on hunting the animals in Wisconsin:

"Dane County Judge Jacob Frost issues a temporary injunction in October blocking the season that was set to begin November 6.  The order came after Animal Wellness Action and other wildlife groups filed a lawsuit to stop the hunt."

Since then, threats of wolf killing have ramped up on social media.  Animal Wellness Action's Paul Collins explains that that was the reason behind offering the reward money:  "We perfectly accept freedom of speech and people saying what they want, but we also want to realize that if they're going to make these types of threats, they are going to be looked into."

According to an article in the Superior Telegram [paywall], the group has been monitoring the posts by these individuals for a while now.  Like many things on social media, though, sifting through what's real and what's fake can be a challenge.

Adam Jarchow - who is currently running for Wisconsin Attorney General - offers that often the things that get said on social media don't lead anywhere:

"I suspect those people that are saying things are just saying it out of frustration. Obviously nobody should be breaking the law or killing wolves illegally.  But it does illustrate the importance of having a regulated hunt so we can control this predator."

For their part, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is also monitoring the situation closely.  So far, they haven't seen any signs or "trend(s) of illegal killings this fall".  But they, too are watching what gets said and spread around on social media closely.  And, they take all tips provided to them seriously.