(Dayton, WA) Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Kelly Susewind has authorized lethal removal of up to two wolves from the Columbia wolf pack territory in southeast Washington including a producer permit for their private property in Columbia County, in response to repeated livestock depredations, in an effort to change the pack’s behavior.
According to WDFW, the rationale for authorizing lethal removal of Columbia pack wolves is as follows:
- WDFW has documented 12 depredation events including two dead calves and confirmed injuries on four other calves, along with probable injuries on another six calves within a 10-month rolling window of time.
- At least two (in this case, more than two) deterrence measures were implemented by affected livestock producers. They included delayed turnout of calves until they were around 200 pounds, removing sick and injured livestock from the range or pasture, livestock carcass sanitation, managing grazing livestock by placing mineral blocks away from known wolf high-use areas, range riding/human presence, calving away from wolf high-use areas, and deployment of fladry and fox lights.
WDFW staff determined that after all the pro-active and responsive deterrent measures, along with regular human presence, depredations will likely continue given recent pack behavior.
The Columbia wolf pack was confirmed as a pack in 2021. According to the 2023 annual population survey, the pack had a minimum count of three wolves and was not considered a successful breeding pair in 2023.
As of Jan. 2, 2025, staff have investigated six confirmed and six probable depredation events in the pack territory in Columbia County, resulting in two dead and 10 injured livestock impacting four different livestock producers within a 10-month period.
On Aug. 6, 2024, WDFW staff investigated an injured calf. The investigation revealed evidence consistent with a confirmed wolf depredation.
On Sept. 11, WDFW staff investigated an injured calf. This investigation revealed evidence consistent with a probable wolf depredation.
On Sept. 16, WDFW staff investigated a dead calf. The investigation revealed evidence consistent with a confirmed wolf depredation.
On Oct. 27, WDFW staff investigated three injured calves. The investigations revealed evidence consistent with confirmed wolf depredations.
On Nov. 6, WDFW staff investigated five injured calves with old and healed injuries. This investigation revealed evidence consistent with probable wolf depredations.
Most recently, on Dec. 29, WDFW staff investigated another dead calf. The investigation revealed evidence consistent with a confirmed wolf depredation.