EBS STAFF
Yellowstone National Park is now offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for shooting the Canyon Pack alpha female on the north side of the park, near Gardiner, Montana. National Park Service law enforcement believes the incident happened sometime between 1 a.m. on April 10 and 2 p.m. on April 11.
“Due to a tremendous desire by groups and individuals to donate for this reward, the park has established a Yellowstone Resource Rewards Fund through our charitable partner Yellowstone Forever,” Yellowstone Superintendant Dan Wenk said in a National Park Service press release.
Up to $25,000 from the fund will pay for the reward in this case if there is a conviction and any money left over in the fund will be held for future resource violation cases in the park, Wenk said.
According to YNP officials, the 12-year-old female was one of the most recognizable wolves in the park and frequently sought after by visitors to view and photograph. She lived to more than twice the average age of a wolf in the park.
Hikers discovered the mortally wounded white wolf on April 11 and park staff euthanized the animal due to the severity of her injuries. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon, performed a necropsy and an investigation surrounding her shooting is ongoing.
The Park Service is urging individuals with information that could aid the investigation to contact the National Park Service Investigative Branch. Tips can be confidential and can be called in to (888) 653-0009, emailed to nps_isb@nps.gov, or texted to (202) 379-4761.
