Another Lethal Removal Order Released for Washington Wolves

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) today issued a lethal removal order for one member of the Wedge pack in the Kettle Range of Washington. The order comes days after WDFW reported new depredations in Stevens County, which lies within the Wedge pack’s territory. These are the latest depredations attributed to this pack in the past two months. 

Zoë Hanley, Northwest Representative at Defenders of Wildlife, issued this statement:
“It’s disturbing that the solution is to once again kill wolves for being wolves rather than work to provide adequate range riding practices in the first place. Simply locating injured cattle is not effective range riding, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife should not reward this behavior. Protocols are needed so that range riders understand what is expected of them, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife can assess whether adequate actions were taken prior to authorizing lethal control. Conflict deterrence tools must be implemented appropriately and effectively for wolves and ranchers to share this rugged landscape.”

Background
•    Three wolves were documented in the Wedge pack at the end of 2019; it is unknown whether they had pups this year.
•    This pack is in the same area in which eight wolves were killed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) in 2012 for livestock conflicts.
•    Range riding is a non-lethal measure used to reduce conflicts with wolves by establishing a consistent human presence to monitor and protect livestock. 
•    Currently, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife does not have a standardized protocol for the use of range riders to deter wolves, even though the agency has used range riders for years as part of its wolf management protocol. Implementing standards for range riding would help in determining whether effective, proactive efforts took place before lethal control is authorized.
•    The rise in confirmed wolf depredations highlights the need for a standardized range riding protocol.
•    Many livestock producers throughout the region are cooperating with WDFW and other groups to adaptively address wolf-livestock conflicts. These new relationships and strategies need time to work before WDFW moves toward lethal removal.