Wolves in Washington Updates from the WDFW and the Wolf Advisory Group - Online

Wolves are a keystone predator that plays a valuable role in the health of Pacific Northwest ecosystems. After nearly being eradicated in the early 1900s, the gray wolf (Canis lupus), a native Washington species, has naturally returned to our state.

A wolf pack with pups was confirmed in July 2008 in western Okanogan and northern Chelan counties and represented the first fully documented breeding by wolves in the state since the 1930s! Since then, the state’s wolf population has increased at an average rate of around 23% every year. 

In the latest annual census of wolves in Washington State, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) reports the following news for wolf recovery: 

• Washington had a minimum of 260 wolves in the state at the end of 2023, compared to 216 in 2022, and 25 breeding pairs in 2023, compared to 26 in 2022.
  
  
• Six new wolf packs formed or reestablished in 2023
   
• The North Cascades recovery region had nine packs, five of which were considered successful breeding pairs. 
  
  
• The North Cascades recovery region continues to meet recovery objectives with a minimum of four successful breeding pairs for at least three consecutive years.

This program will start with a presentation from expert biologists at the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) including an overview of the status of wolves in Washington State, updates on current wolf packs, and responses to participant questions. WDFW staff will also share updates from the 2024 wolf report released in early April 2025. 

During the second part of the program we’ll hear perspectives from the Washington Wolf Advisory Council (WAG) and learn how the WAG is working to promote equitable, inclusive, and respectful dialogue and decision-making among diverse people to foster durable peace by transforming the root causes of social conflict and providing high quality recommendations on wolf recovery, conservation, and management.

By the end of the program, participants will know how they can stay updated and get involved with wolf recovery in Washington State. 

If you can't make the specific date or time of a class you want to take, you can still register and we will send you a link to view the program on your own time! All registrants will have access to the class recording for a limited time to re-watch too.

Photos courtesy of wdfw.wa.gov