Washington Wolf Population Expands Despite High Mortality

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced that the state’s endangered gray wolf population has increased by 5% after they found 216 wolves during their annual count. It also announced the formation of the state’s first reestablished wolf pack in the South Cascades. 

Following the WDFW’s report, Zoe Hanley, Senior Northwest representative for Defenders of Wildlife issued this statement:

“It is encouraging to see the Washington wolf population continue to gradually increase and a new pack form in the South Cascades. Prioritizing programs that support coexistence efforts and establishing wildlife structures across the state remains important for wolf recovery. However, this is not all good news. We have seen an alarming increase in poaching of these incredible animals in eastern Washington, showing that there is far more work to do.”

Gray wolves are federally protected under the Endangered Species Act in the western two-thirds of the state but were congressionally delisted in the eastern third of the state. 

In other states like Idaho and Montana, gray wolves are facing cruel and unprecedented attacks from lawmakers who seek to make it easier to kill and trap them, which is concerning since a new study from University of Washington indicates wolf immigration from neighboring states is instrumental to successful wolf recovery in Washington.