Management Plan Finalized For Wolf Recovery In Washington
Ashley Ahearn | August 2, 2011 | Seattle, WA
Wolves hadn�t roamed the state of Washington since the 1930�s, but that�s changed in the past 5 years. The state is now home to five packs of gray wolves � numbering just shy of 30 animals. They�re still listed as endangered state-wide and the Department of Fish and Wildlife has put together a management plan for wolf recovery that will be presented in Olympia on Thursday.
The Smackout Pack resides in the Northeastern corner of the state. They�re the second gray wolf pack confirmed in Washington this summer.
Rocky Beach has been working on wolf recovery for the Department of Fish and Wildlife for the past 5 years.
�To me it�s a thrill to see them and to hear them is another matter all together. They speak to me of a complete ecosystem but others do not have that same perspective I assure you,� said Beach.
Beach helped develop the wolf management plan. He says it was no easy task. They received 65,000 public comments throughout the process.
�Wolf management is unfortunately a lot about conflict." said Beach. "How do you deal with stock conflict at a time when wolves are recovering? What about concerns about deer and elk population, education, human safety etc? It is both a recovery plan and a management plan until the time they�re de listed.�
The plan sets the goal of 15 packs in order to declare wolves in Washington recovered. Wolves are being radio collared in order to track movement and give livestock owners a heads up as to their whereabouts. Beach says each pack tends to roam over a 350-mile area, and the plan takes that into account.
�We mapped prey availability, forest cover, human habitance, road densities and came up with a model and we have very adequate levels of habitat for wolves,� said Beach. Livestock owners whose animals are killed by wolves will receive market value compensation. There have been two such incidents in the past 5 years. The management plan has been finalized and workshops will be held around the state before it�s adopted in December.
Ashley Ahearn | August 2, 2011 | Seattle, WA
Wolves hadn�t roamed the state of Washington since the 1930�s, but that�s changed in the past 5 years. The state is now home to five packs of gray wolves � numbering just shy of 30 animals. They�re still listed as endangered state-wide and the Department of Fish and Wildlife has put together a management plan for wolf recovery that will be presented in Olympia on Thursday.
The Smackout Pack resides in the Northeastern corner of the state. They�re the second gray wolf pack confirmed in Washington this summer.
Rocky Beach has been working on wolf recovery for the Department of Fish and Wildlife for the past 5 years.
�To me it�s a thrill to see them and to hear them is another matter all together. They speak to me of a complete ecosystem but others do not have that same perspective I assure you,� said Beach.
Beach helped develop the wolf management plan. He says it was no easy task. They received 65,000 public comments throughout the process.
�Wolf management is unfortunately a lot about conflict." said Beach. "How do you deal with stock conflict at a time when wolves are recovering? What about concerns about deer and elk population, education, human safety etc? It is both a recovery plan and a management plan until the time they�re de listed.�
The plan sets the goal of 15 packs in order to declare wolves in Washington recovered. Wolves are being radio collared in order to track movement and give livestock owners a heads up as to their whereabouts. Beach says each pack tends to roam over a 350-mile area, and the plan takes that into account.
�We mapped prey availability, forest cover, human habitance, road densities and came up with a model and we have very adequate levels of habitat for wolves,� said Beach. Livestock owners whose animals are killed by wolves will receive market value compensation. There have been two such incidents in the past 5 years. The management plan has been finalized and workshops will be held around the state before it�s adopted in December.
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Photo by Living with Wolves
Photo by Living with Wolves
Photo by Living with Wolves
Photo by Living with Wolves
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