First Wolf Pack In Western Washington Seen In 2018
CONCRETE, WA — The state's wolf population made history in 2018, reaching the highest total number since recovery began more than a decade ago, and appearing for the first time west of the Cascades crest.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife released the results of its annual wolf census on Thursday. There are an estimated 126 wolves in 27 packs and 15 breeding pairs. That's a small increase over 2017 numbers, but state officials are seeing signs that wolves are spreading across the state.
Two wolves formed a new pack in Skagit County northeast of Concrete. State biologists have dubbed the pair the Diobsud Creek pack. That's a milestone for wolf recovery because the state's wolf conservation plan calls for at least four successful breeding pairs in all of Western Washington.
The state also observed more wolves living in Okanogan County and the southeast part of the state. The state's wolf population began to rebound in 2008 after being hunted to extinction in the 1930s. There were just five wolves a decade ago.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/first-wolf-pack-in-western-washington-seen-in-2018-wdfw/ar-BBVD6oH
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But they aren't there yet! It's only a potentially mating pair, not legally/actually/biologically a pack until they have a litter of which at least one member survive one year. Then it's a real pack... a small pack.
I hope they have a healthy litter and they all have long, healthy lives which for wild wolves is about six years. Some live much longer but not many.
