State wolf population increasing at a fast pace

Gray wolves seem to enjoy Washington so much their numbers nearly doubled in the past year.

A 2012 Fish and Wildlife survey reveals at least 51 wolves now inhabit the Evergreen State.

Wow, what a prolific bunch of animals. The surge in wolf population is almost scary. Does this mean the population could double this year as well?

The population increase is welcomed by some and detested by others. The survey was based on field reports and aerial monitoring which confirmed a total of nine wolf packs and five successful breeding pairs.

A 2011 survey acknowledged 27 wolves, five packs and three breeding pairs.

A wolf pack is defined as two or more wolves traveling together. A successful breeding pair is defined as an adult male and female with at least two pups that survive until the end of the calendar year.

Fish and Wildlife says the growth appears to be the result of both natural reproduction, and the continuing in-migration of wolves from Canada and neighboring states.

In addition, the department acknowledges the actual number of wolves in our state is likely much higher than the number confirmed by the survey, noting that field biologists currently suspect the existence of two additional packs.

Lone wolves often go uncounted. And those that range into Washington, but den in other states, are not included in the survey.

Comparing the average size of packs in other states, along with the factors referenced above, the actual number of wolves in Washington could be as many as 100, perhaps more, according to Fish and Wildlife.

One of the nine packs counted is the Wedge pack, which Fish and Wildlife tried to eliminate last summer because of conflicts between the wolves and a cattle rancher resulted in six calves killed and 10 others injured.

Seven members of the Wedge pack were killed, but now two wolves are considered to be members of this pack. However, because the pack lives near the Canadian border in Stevens County, it's not clear if these two wolves are part of the original Wedge pack or are wolves new to the area.

The gray wolf is currently on Washington state's endangered species list. The state Wolf Conservation and Management Plan states wolves can be removed from the list once 15 successful breeding pairs have been documented for three consecutive years. Four pairs are required in eastern Washington, four pairs in the North Cascades, four pairs in South Cascades/Northwest Coast, and three pairs in any recovery region.

The 2012 survey found seven confirmed packs in the eastern Washington wolf area. The Diamond pack has 10 members and a breeding pair. The Huckleberry pack has eight members and a breeding pair. The Nc'icn pack has six members and a breeding pair.

The Salmo pack has two members and no successful breeding pair. Smackout has 12 members and a breeding pair, Strawberry pack has three members and no successful breeding pair, and the Wedge pack has two members with no breeding pair.

There are two suspected packs in this area; the Boulder Creek pack and the Ruby Creek pack.

The North Cascades area has two confirmed packs; the Lookout pack with two members and no breeding pair, and the Teanaway pack with six members and a breeding pair.

The South Cascades and Northwest Coast area does not contain any known wolves at this time.

Fish and Wildlife is holding three public meetings this week in northeastern portion of the state to discuss wolf-livestock conflict management. Funding is available to support cost-sharing agreements for preventative measures that can help minimize problems with wolves.

Those practices include reducing attractants by disposing of livestock carcasses, installing special fencing, using protected areas for calving and lambing, and using range riders to haze wolves away from livestock.

Direct technical assistance is available to ranchers from Fish and Wildlife. They also pay compensation for confirmed livestock losses, and under certain conditions, permits to kill predatory animals may be issued.

Apparently the wolf habitat in Washington state is agreeing with the current and growing wolf population.

Will the population continue to grow at such a fast pace or eventually slow because wolf numbers have filled the available habitat?

Imagine 100 confirmed wolves in the state next year, with an unconfirmed or suspected total of 200. Issuing permits to allow livestock owners to kill problem animals is a great step. So are the other ideas to reduce the possibility of wolf problems.

I contend the fastest and easiest way to speed the delisting of the gray wolf in Washington state is to establish two or three packs in the wolf area known as South Cascades and Northwest Coast.

The Northeastern Washington area is suffering the impact of the fast-growing wolf population.

It's time we spread the call-of-the-wild, the good elements of a wolf population, and the bad elements as well, to the western part of the state.