OLYMPIA, Wash. – State wildlife managers say they shot and killed another gray wolf in northeastern Washington because wolves continue to attack livestock in the area.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife said Friday evening that the adult wolf was shot from a helicopter on Thursday. That brings to seven the number of wolves the agency has killed since the pack was targeted for removal in August.
The wolves killed were part of the Profanity Peak pack that roams Ferry County.
Wolves are endangered species under state law, but a state plan allows them to be killed under certain conditions. The state announced it would kill the entire Profanity Peak after the pack attacked and killed five cows in Ferry County in early August.
WDFW wolf policy lead Donny Martorello said the pack continues to attack livestock with the most recent attack earlier in the week.
Martorello says the pack likely still has one adult female and three juveniles. He said removal efforts will continue but noted the challenges of eliminating the entire pack.
Some groups have criticized the killings. Protesters argue that the lethal take policy is a bad policy and the state caved to ranching politics. They want a different policy that puts more weight on wolf lives.
