Southern Oregon Heifer Euthanized After Depredation

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says an 11-month old heifer was euthanized after being attacked by wolves last week. Crews were called to the Summer Lake area of Lake County Thursday morning, where the 800-pound cow had several injuries to its hindquarters. The majority of the carcass was shaved and skinned. There were over 50 pre-mortem bite scrapes up to four inches long and ¼” wide on both hindquarters, a large open wound with necrotic tissue on the underside of the right thigh, and an open wound on the left flank. Beneath the bite scrapes there was pre-mortem hemorrhaging up to two inches deep.

The location, size, number, and direction of tooth scrapes and severe underlying muscle tissue trauma are consistent with wolf attack injuries. The depredation of this calf is attributed to two wolves, LAS13 and OR115.

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