This new report says that the wolf population of Washington has rebounded by 28%, marking the seventh straight year of improvement.
At the end of 2016, there were 115 wolves in 20 different packs roaming the north western state, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
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Wolves are a federally protected species in two thirds of the state and protected everywhere else by the state. Despite it being illegal to kill a wolf, many famers in the area still experience conflict with the animals because of them posing a danger to livestock.
“It’s great news that wolves have continued to recover in Washington, but they still have a long way to go,” said Amaroq Weiss, West Coast wolf organizer at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Strong state and federal protections are still needed to ensure these beautiful, ecologically important animals can recover fully in Washington.”
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Except they are killing them again. Ranchers got permission to kill one pack and they are gunning for permission to kill off another. It’s so their cattle can graze cheap on government land. Once the adults are killed the new pups will die too so the entire pack will be wiped out.
Washington State hasn’t learned to live in harmony with nature. Not yet.