This update provides an overview of gray wolf conservation and management activities in Washington during May 2022.
Program updates and coordination
On May 13, the Fish and Wildlife Commission continued discussion on the wolf-livestock conflict deterrence rule making effort. The meeting recording is available on the Commission webpage under May 13.
The Commission is expected to continue discussion on this rule making effort during their June 23-25 meeting and a decision vote is tentatively expected on July 8.
Outreach and education
WDFW staff gave a presentation on wolves to the Kittitas Audubon Society and members of the public in Ellensburg on May 19.
Current population status and proactive conflict mitigation
The year-end minimum population count for 2021 was at least 206 known wolves in 33 known packs including at least 19 breeding pairs. Annual wolf population surveys are conducted in the winter because wolf populations experience the least amount of natural fluctuation during this time. Counting the population at the end of each year allows for comparable year-to-year trends at a time of year when the wolf population is most stable. The year-end minimum population count for 2022 will be released in April 2023.
Reports of remote camera images or videos, wolf tracks, or sightings from the public are extremely helpful in locating previously undocumented wolf activity and potential new packs on the landscape. Please take photos of wolves or wolf sign (use some way to measure the size of a track) and upload them to the wolf reporting page via the following link: https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/at-risk/species-recovery/gray-wolf/observations
Definitions: A “pack” is defined as two or more wolves traveling together in winter, and a “breeding pair” is defined as at least one adult male and one adult female wolf that raised at least two pups that survived until December 31. In any given year, the number of packs will always be greater than or equal to the number of breeding pairs. The known territories and more information for each pack can be viewed by clicking the pack name.
Beaver Creek pack
A wolf was legally harvested in the Beaver Creek territory by a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation on May 28.
Butte Creek pack
No activity to report.
Carpenter Ridge pack
No activity to report.
Columbia pack
No activity to report.
Dirty Shirt pack
No activity to report.
Dominion pack
WDFW staff scouted this pack territory to assess number of individuals in the pack and activity locations.
Goodman Meadows pack
No activity to report.
Grouse Flats pack
WDFW staff scouted this pack territory to assess number of individuals in the pack and activity locations.
Huckleberry pack
WDFW staff scouted this pack territory to assess number of individuals in the pack and activity locations.
Keller Ridge pack
No activity to report.
Leadpoint pack
No activity to report.
Lookout pack
- On May 20, WDFW staff responded to a report of missing lambs and the sighting of large tracks in the area. The livestock producer reported two to three lambs had gone missing each night since May 15. One dead lamb was in a corral. Several additional lambs were missing. The lambs were two months old except for the lamb that was examined. That lamb was four months old.
Investigation of the lamb revealed several bite marks with associated hemorrhaging on a rear leg, the throat, and the back of the neck. The neck vertebrae were broken. A blood stain and drag marks were adjacent to the lamb. Multiple wolf tracks were found in the corral. Wolf scat was found on a trail leading to the corral. Collared wolves were near the corrals from which the lambs were missing and the depredation occurred.
The livestock producer checked on their sheep daily. The sheep were living in open, wood post corrals with some electric fencing. However, the electric fence was not charged, nor did it completely enclose all the corrals. During the investigation, the producer stated they would move the sheep to an enclosed barn for the nights. The producer will also be building a predator-proof front on a different three-sided, roofed barn to hold the sheep.
This is the first confirmed wolf depredation within the Lookout pack territory.
- A collared wolf from the Lookout Pack dispersed into British Columbia, Canada on May 13.
Loup Loup pack
No activity to report.
Navarre pack
WDFW wolf biologists captured, collared, and released a wolf from the Navarre pack.
Onion Creek pack
No activity to report.
Salmo pack
No activity to report.
Shady Pass pack
WDFW wolf biologists captured, collared, and released three wolves from the Shady Pass pack.
Sherman pack
WDFW staff scouted this pack territory to assess number of individuals in the pack and activity locations.
Skookum pack
No activity to report.
Smackout pack
No activity to report.
Stranger pack
No activity to report.
Strawberry pack
No activity to report.
Sullivan Creek pack
No activity to report.
Teanaway pack
WDFW staff scouted this pack territory to assess number of individuals in the pack and activity locations. A WDFW contracted range rider is working in this pack territory.
Togo pack
Updates for the Togo pack were provided on May 20, May 25, June 10, and June 13.
Touchet pack
No activity to report.
Tucannon pack
WDFW staff scouted this pack territory to assess number of individuals in the pack and activity locations.
Vulcan pack
No activity to report.
Wedge pack
WDFW staff scouted this pack territory to assess number of individuals in the pack and activity locations.
Miscellaneous/lone wolves
WDFW staff continued to monitor a collared dispersing male wolf (originally from the Naneum pack) and an uncollared wolf (unknown age and sex) traveling in Yakima and Klickitat counties.
Note: The Frosty, Nason, Nc’icn, and Whitestone pack territories are within Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (CTCR) lands and are managed under tribal authority. Information regarding these packs is proprietary and reported at the discretion of the CTCR.
Mortalities
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is aware of and actively investigating dead wolves found in Stevens County. Because this incident is under active investigation by law enforcement, no further information is being provided at this time. Please report any information about the death or harassment of wolves to the WDFW Enforcement Hotline at 1-877-933-9847.
A wolf was legally harvested in the Beaver Creek territory by a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation on May 28.
As of this update, in addition to the mortalities under active investigation, WDFW has documented two wolf mortalities in 2022.
Depredation activity
Please report any suspected livestock depredations or the death or harassment of wolves to the WDFW Enforcement Hotline at 1-877-933-9847.
In 2021, 76% of known wolf packs were not involved in any documented livestock depredation.
Below is a summary of packs with documented depredation activity within the past ten months (some packs have depredation history prior to the current ten-month window; this timeframe is considered based on guidance from the wolf-livestock interaction protocol (PDF)).
|
Pack |
Depredation date |
Depredation type |
Proactive non-lethals |
Ten-month window |
Agency lethal removal actions |
|
Beaver Creek |
9/5/21 |
Probable mortality of calf |
No |
7/5/22 |
|
|
Leadpoint |
7/22/21 |
Confirmed mortality of one calf (died from injuries), confirmed injury of second calf |
Yes |
5/22/22 |
|
|
Lookout |
5/20/22 |
Confirmed mortality of two lambs |
No |
3/20/23 |
|
|
Smackout |
8/30/21 |
Probable injury of two calves |
Yes |
6/30/22 |
|
|
Teanaway |
11/8/21 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
9/8/22 |
|
|
Togo |
8/6/21 |
Confirmed mortality of calf (died from injuries) |
Yes |
6/6/22 |
|
|
|
8/17/21 |
Probable injury of calf |
Yes |
6/17/22 |
|
|
|
8/17/21 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
6/17/22 |
|
|
|
5/17/22 |
Confirmed mortality of calf |
Yes |
3/17/23 |
|
|
|
5/18/22 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
3/18/23 |
|
|
|
6/8/22 |
Confirmed mortality of calf |
Yes |
4/8/23 |
|
|
|
6/11/22 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
4/11/23 |
|
|
Touchet |
8/10/21 |
Confirmed mortality of calf |
Yes |
6/10/22 |
|
|
Columbia |
8/25/21 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
6/25/22 |
|
|
|
9/13/21 |
Confirmed mortality of calf |
Yes |
7/13/22 |
|
|
|
10/16/21 |
Confirmed injury of calf |
Yes |
8/16/22 |
|
|
|
11/1/21 |
Confirmed injury of one calf, probable injury of two calves |
Yes |
9/1/22 |
|
|
|
11/15/21 |
Confirmed mortality of calf |
Yes |
9/15/22 |
Adult male lethally removed 11/18/21; juvenile male lethally removed under authorized permit on 12/8/21 |
|
Vulcan |
4/30/22 |
Confirmed mortality of calf |
Yes |
2/28/23 |
|