Wildlife officials and nonprofit groups are seeking information about a wolf illegally poached last December in Montana near the north entrance of Yellowstone National Park, offering a reward for tips related to the off-season killing.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) announced earlier this month that the collared wolf was believed to have been killed in the Jardine area just outside of Gardiner on the evening of Dec. 25, 2025.
Officials said they received a mortality signal from the wolf's tracking collar, which had been cut off and thrown in a tree. The animal's body was not recovered.
The area had been closed to wolf hunting on Nov. 16, 2025, after hunters reached the three-wolf quota for the unit. The FWP notes online that "when a quota is reached, the hunting and trapping season for the state, the region and/or WMU will close upon a 24-hour notice."
The FWP initially offered $1,000 for any leads about the December poaching. However, the agency later revealed on Jan. 22 that the reward had risen to $31,000, thanks to contributions from the Montana-based nonprofits Large Carnivore Fund and Wolves of the Rockies—the latter of which advocates for wolf conservation in Montana by engaging in policy, legislation, and public testimony to ensure science-based, ethical management.
The Large Carnivore Fund identified the female wolf killed on Christmas Day as 1478F, a member of Yellowstone's well-known Junction Butte pack.
Marc Cooke, vice president and board member of Wolves of the Rockies, told NTD on Friday that wolf 1478F was more than just a collar number.
"She was a living thread in Yellowstone’s most watched and beloved wolf family. She carried forward nearly three decades of recovery, genetics, and hard‑earned wild knowledge that began with the original reintroduction," Cooke said.
"Through her daily life—raising pups, traveling with her pack, navigating the invisible line between the safety of the Park and the dangers beyond—she helped scientists and wolf watchers alike understand what it really means for wolves to live in a modern, fragmented landscape."
Cooke noted that her life continues to have a powerful impact even after her death.
"She has galvanized thousands of people to pay attention, to speak up, and to recognize that individual wolves matter," he said. "What happens on the borders of Yellowstone does not end there; her loss makes that impossible to ignore."
Those convicted of unlawfully killing wolves or other wildlife in Montana can face serious penalties, including fines, jail time, and the loss of hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges.