Officials from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed the other day that a gray wolf killed a calf in northeastern Washington state. The confirmed kill is the first ever in Washington. Wolves were eradicated from the western U.S. several decades ago and efforts to restore the wolf to Yellowstone, Idaho and Montana have been hugely successful.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is contemplating removing the wolf from protection as early as next year. This would be done in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and portions of other states that include eastern Washington. The state of Washington protects the wolf and are working on a conservation and management plan for the wolf.
Officials are attempting to trap the wolf and equip it with a radio collar in order to track it and determine if the wolf has taken up residence or is just passing through.
Tom Remington
