For 12,000 years, wolves have roamed Southeast Alaska’s rugged Alexander Archipelago — a 300-mile stretch of more than 1,000 islands mostly within the Tongass National Forest. Now, their old-growth forest habitat is rapidly disappearing, putting the wolves at risk. As the region’s logging policies garner controversy, a new study examines what the wolves need in order to survive.

Source: Wolves Are Losing Ground to Industrial Logging in Southeast Alaska | Latest News | Earth Island Journal | Earth Island Institute

A fifth-generation cattleman and a wildlife biologist are teaming to help northeastern Washington ranchers coexist with the state’s growing number of gray wolves.Stemming from their boots-on-the ground experience with wolf-livestock conflicts, Arron Scotten and Jay Shepherd have formed the nonprofit Northeast Washington Wolf-Cattle Collaborative.They plan to use funding from state and other sources to provide more nonlethal wolf attack deterrents in the region where 16 of the state’s 22 identified packs reside.Both men have roots in the agricultural community and have worked with existing state and private programs related to wolf conflicts.

Source: Collaborative effort: A Washington cattleman and biologist are working to reduce wolf-livestock conflicts | The Spokesman-Review

SALEM, Ore.Oregon wildlife officials shot and killed two wolves from a helicopter Wednesday in an attempt to reduce killings of cattle by the predators.The killings have reignited a debate between the state, ranchers and environmentalists about how to manage wolves, which were hunted down for 100 years until they disappeared in 1947.Another young female wolf was shot and killed by a state wildlife official on April 10 on private land where previous depredations occurred. All three wolves belong to the Pine Creek Pack, which roams in eastern Oregon’s Baker County, and has killed four calves and injured six others in recent days, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said.

Source: Oregon officials kill 2 wolves in effort to save cattle | The Bellingham Herald

SPOKANE — Growth in Washington’s gray-wolf population slowed dramatically last year, raising concerns from an environmental group that says the state should stop killing wolves that prey on livestock.At the end of 2017, Washington was home to at least 122 wolves, 22 packs and 14 successful breeding pairs, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a report released last week.

Source: State’s wolf-population growth slows, worrying advocates | The Seattle Times

The number of gray wolves in the state continues to grow, the state Department of Fish & Wildlife announced Friday.The state agency is preparing to release its annual wolf count, which for the first time includes Skagit County.

Source: State wolf count includes Skagit for first time | News | goskagit.com

Last month, a Washington state resident was fined more than $8,000 for poaching three wolves in 2016. DNA evidence linked him to three separate kills, but other poaching cases remain unsolved. Last month, Terry Leroy Fowler of Liberty Lake pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawfully killing wolves in Pend Oreille County in 2016. A third count was dismissed in a plea agreement.

Source: As One Washington Wolf Poaching Case Comes To A Close, Others Remain A Mystery | KUOW News and Information

The Washington State House passed a bill yesterday that would include relocation as part of the wolf conservation and management plan used in the state. The bill was sponsored by Joel Kretz of Wauconda who said, “If there isn’t the political will to follow the federal government’s lead to de-list the wolves in my legislative district, than maybe we can export a few to help even things a bit.” The bill directs the Department of Fish and Wildlife to use the best available science to determine potential translocation sites and stresses expediency. Kretz says the wolves need to be spread so that it can speed up recovery goals.

Source: Wolf Relocation Bill Passes House – NewsRadio 560 KPQ