Wolf post-recovery planning

Since 2008, Washington’s wolf population has grown by an average of 28 percent per year. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) documented a minimum of 126 individuals, 27 packs, and 15 successful breeding pairs during the last annual population survey, marking a population increase for the 10th consecutive year and the highest counts to date. Not only is Washington’s wolf population growing, but its distribution is also expanding westward in the state. In 2018, WDFW biologists confirmed the state’s first wolf pack west of the Cascade crest in the modern era. WDFW is confident that Washington’s wolf population is on a path leading to successful recovery.

Given the pace of wolf recovery, WDFW proposes to develop a post-recovery conservation and management plan for wolves to guide long-term wolf conservation and management under state authority once wolves are considered recovered in Washington and are no longer designated as state or federally endangered.

The development of this plan will be informed by public input. 

WDFW held three online, interactive webinars in September and October 2019 to discuss this effort and answer questions from the public. The recorded webinars may be viewed at the following links:

Printable PDF: Background and FAQ (PDF)