Wolf Review of 2015

The wolf population in Washington increased 32 percent in 2015 according to a recent report by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Wolf Policy Lead Donny Martorello says the state’s regulations have played only a small role, “With those protections coupled with the mobility of wolves and their birthrates; this colonization that we’re seeing, wolves are doing it on their own.”

Martorello pointed out that the number of wolves in the state’s report is likely not the total number of wolves in the state.

The number of wolves is expected to increase and Martorello is hoping the Wolf Advisory Group will help manage everyone’s concerns.

“We doubled its size, it was at nine, doubled the size of it now. Included representation by livestock producers, environmentalists, and hunters.”

Despite the increase in the number of wolves in the state, Martorello says the number of depridations due to wolves dropped to eight in 2015.

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