SEATTLE, WA - Several animal rights groups are expressing outrage over the recent killing of a endangered grizzly bear by two Grant County men and the likely involvement by a Grant County farmer and Washington State Potato Commissioner in illegally disposing or burying the bear's remains on his farm.
On August 11th, Brandon Rodeback of Moses Lake, and Kurtis Cox of Warden were summoned to appear in Federal Court on charges of killing and possessing an endangered grizzly bear and transporting it.
Law enforcement were notified about the dead grizzly bear after another hunter spotted the two men moving the bear from one truck to another in a motel parking lot in Ione, Washington, according to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife affidavit. When the man inspected the animal, he recognized it as a grizzly bear. The man noted the license plate number of their truck, which was traced by police back to Rodeback and Cox.
When wildlife officials questioned Rodeback, he allegedly told them the bear was running across the road, when he shot at the bear. After missing, Cox reportedly fired, hitting the bear. The two men finished the bear off, putting it in the back of the truck.
The two men then brought the bear to the farm of Kurtis Cox's father (Nelson Cox), and skinned it and buried the carcass on Nelson Cox's farm, according to the affidavit. Federal and state officials went to the farm and found the hide and carcass.
Nelson Cox is an elected Commissioner of the Washington State Potato Commission, which is a state agency under the authority of the Washington State Department of Agriculture and Governor Christine Gregoire.
Given the nature of the circumstances involving the death of this bear, several animal rights groups have asked Governor Christine Gregoire and Washington State Department of Agriculture Director Dan Newhouse to remove Nelson Cox as a Washington State Potato Commissioner.
"At the very least, it is apparent that Nelson Cox was likely involved or knew about the carcass of the grizzly bear being buried on his farm. He may have even helped to hide the bear's remains on his farm," said Bill Smith, Director of the Pacific Northwest Endangered Animal Welfare Alliance. "To many, it is offensive that Mr. Cox could remain in an elected or appointed position of a Washington State public agency after being involved in such a terrible act to an endangered animal."
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Deputy Chief Mike Cenci called the loss of the grizzly bear "a major set back for recovery efforts", adding there are only a handful of grizzlies in the Northern Cascades and about a dozen in the Selkirk Mountains.
"This bear has consistently produced cubs year after year, and, even more important, it's stayed out of trouble," he said. "An animal that was really important to grizzly recovery was taken out of the gene pool."
