Reward for info on slain Wash. wolves grows to $20,000

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) – The reward for information regarding the killing of two wolves in northeastern Washington state has grown to $20,000.

The Center for Biological Diversity and Cascadia Wildlands on Monday said they had doubled a previously announced reward by Conservation Northwest for information leading to conviction in the killing of the wolves.

Over the weekend, officials for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that two wolves that were being monitored had been found shot to death.

The animals were members of the Smackout and Dirty Shirt packs.

Wolves are a protected species across the state of Washington. Poachers can face fines and jail time.

Wolves were wiped out in Washington early in the 1900s, but started returning to the state earlier this century.