Wildlife officials kill wolf following repeated attack on livestock | News

Following recent attacks on livestock near the Canadian border, Washington Fish and Wildlife officials report state wildlife managers killed a wolf this morning from the “Wedge” pack located in northeast Washington.

Wildlife officials says a series of wolf attacks from the "Wedge" pack have targeted livestock at the Diamond M Ranch near Laurier. The attacks have left one calf dead, five cows or calves injured and at least two missing since mid-July.

On July 11, the rancher contacted Stevens County Sheriff's Office to report the attack later confirmed as a wolf kill. Another dead calf was confirmed as a cougar kill. The rancher was issued a permit by WDFW authorizing him to shoot a wolf if caught attacking live stock. The rancher was also eligble to receive compensation to recover his losses. 

The wolf, identified as a non-breeding female, was shot in the area near where a prior livestock attack occured on the ranch. Department staff will remain in the area through Wednesday afternoon and attempt to remove a second wolf.

The director of WDFW, Phil Anderson, says the decision was made after it was determined that lethal action would not affect wolf recovery objectives.

Anderson explained that non-lethal efforts were previously attempted including a specialized electric fencing, adding a radio collar to the pack’s alpha male and maintaining a regular human presence in the area. The livestock’s operator has also employed five staff members to check on the herd which consist of 210 cow-calf pairs.

The wolf management plan was adopted last December and authorizes wildlife officials to take lethal measures against wolves in case of repeated livestock attacks. The wolf pack has been documented targeting the area since 2007.