Wildlife managers affirmed Feb. 7 that Washington has a robust wolf population and wolves no longer meet the state’s definition of an endangered or threatened species.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife opened a comment period on a proposal to reclassify wolves as a state “sensitive” species. Wolves would still be off-limits for hunting.

Wolves are not in danger of going extinct in Washington or under threat to become endangered, according to a report released Wednesday on their status.

Sensitive most accurately describes the status of wolves, recognizing wolves are not yet established in Western Washington and should be protected, endangered species recovery manager Julia Smith said.

Federal protection unchanged

Fish and Wildlife manages wolves in the eastern one-third of the state. Wolves in the western two-thirds are federally protected and would not be affected by the change in state status.

A person who poaches a state endangered species can be jailed for a year and fined $5,000. The penalty for poaching a sensitive species is up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Wildlife managers plan to brief the Fish and Wildlife Commission on the proposal on either March 15 or 16. The commission is tentatively scheduled to make a decision June 19 or 20.

Fish and Wildlife biologists said in May that Washington wolves were neither endangered nor threatened. The department received more than 12,000 comments in response to a preliminary status report.

About 9,500 comments were slight variations of four form letters stating the state’s wolf population was fragile and that the endangered species status should be retained.

Fish and Wildlife biologists disagree. “Washington’s wolf population is robust,” the final status report reads.

Wolves expected to spread out

Wolves began recolonizing Washington in 2008. The population has grown by an average of 23% a year. Wolves have far exceeded recovery goals in Eastern Washington, but have not dispersed west of the Cascades.

Wolves are almost certain to recolonize the South Cascades and northwest coast by 2030, according to research commissioned by the department.

“It is worth noting that wolf population growth in Washington has largely occurred in the absence of federal protection,” the status report reads.

Fish and Wildlife counted at least 216 wolves in 2022. Researchers project Washington will have 257 wolves in 2030 and 470 in 2070.

Fish and Wildlife plans to release a count for 2023 in April. The counts likely underestimate the wolf population, according to the department.

Since wolves have come back to Washington, an average of 10% of the population has died annually, according to the department. Tribal hunters have legally harvested 63 wolves, the largest source of human-caused mortality.

The department killed 42 wolves between 2008 and 2022 to protect livestock. Neither tribal hunting nor lethal control is expected to stop wolf recovery, according to the status report.

Gov. Jay Inslee in January sided with environmental groups and ordered the department to initiate writing a rule to dictate when it will kill wolves to protect livestock. Environmental groups are seeking more restrictions on lethal control.

Fish and Wildlife Director Kelly Susewind said the department’s current policy on wolf-livestock conflicts is working and that he disagreed with the governor’s order.

Fish and Wildlife will take comments on the proposal to list wolves as a state sensitive species until May 6.

Comments may be made online at www.publicinput.com/sepa_graywolf; emailed to graywolf2024@publicinput.com; or mailed to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, attn. Wildlife Program, P.O. Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98504.

People can also leave verbal comments by calling (855) 925-2801 and entering the code 6505.