Why Washington's wolf count is under scrutiny

With a controversial vote planned next week on whether to loosen protections for wolves in Washington, wildlife advocates are raising alarm that officials could be relying on flawed wolf count figures from a tribe in the northeast corner of the state.

Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission members have been told by agency staff that wolves have made an impressive recovery — to the point that their “endangered” status is no longer required. The state’s latest population report recorded an increase of 44 wolves last year, the largest in state history.

But skeptics say the wolf count produced by the Department of Fish and Wildlife is implausibly high, and fear commissioners are being fed a rosy picture of the wolves’ status as they’re asked to “downlist” the species.

“The numbers just didn’t pass the smell test,” said David Linn, a longtime wolf advocate and treasurer of Washington Wildlife First.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/07/12/why-washingtons-wolf-count-is-under-scrutiny/