Gray Wolves remain endangered

OLYMPIA — Gray wolves will stay listed as endangered in Washington following a tight 5-4 vote by the Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Despite a significant increase in the gray wolf population over the past 15 years, with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) reporting at least 260 wolves in 42 packs, the decision was made to retain their endangered status.

The Commission’s virtual meeting on Friday, July 19 also covered changes to cougar hunting regulations.

New rules set the cougar hunting season from September 1 to March 31, with a 13 percent cap on each population management unit (PMU).

This cap includes all known human-caused cougar mortalities, and if a PMU reaches this cap before the season starts, it will be increased to 20 percent to allow more hunting opportunities. The Commission also planned to initiate rule-making for the 2025-26 cougar season.

The decision to keep gray wolves endangered does not affect their federal status, which remains endangered in the western two-thirds of Washington and de-listed in the eastern third. WDFW will reassess the wolves’ status as part of a future review or if recovery objectives are met sooner.