The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife maintains its wolf management plan is working and halfway to completion. And when that happens, it expects federal protections will be lifted so WDFW can manage them.
Wolves already met recovery objectives in eastern Washington and are partway to doing the same in the central part of the state.
“I do think the second half here is likely going to be a little faster than the first half because Washington’s wolf population is getting larger and larger and larger,” Danny Martorello, WDFW wolf policy coordinator, told the Capital Press.
The wolf remains under protection of the Endangered Species Act in the western two-thirds of the state.
At last count, there are at least 122 wolves in Washington.
(Photo source: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife)