Remaining wild habitat in northeast Washington brings them back

By the 1930s, gray wolves were largely eradicated in Washington. But wolves are returning. Since 1973 there have been twenty or so probable observations in Washington. All but two of the sightings were single wolves, most likely transients from the southernmost populations of Canadian wolves still found some 100 miles north of the Washington border in British Columbia. While wolf populations have not yet recovered here, there have been recent sightings in northeastern Washington. The Columbia Highlands and the Kettle River Range and Selkirk Mountains provide some of the best remaining habitat for wolves in Washington.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service in March 2008, wolves were removed from federal protection under the Endangered Species Act in the Northern Rockies, which includes the eastern third of our state and the Columbia Highlands. To address wolf management in the state after delisting, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is developing a Wolf Conservation and Management Plan. Conservation Northwest, with others, is today active in creating that plan. Our own Derrick Knowles has been serving on the working group for wolves alongside scientists, ranchers, fellow hunters, and interested citizens.