Washington Fish And Wildlife Investigates Reports Of Wolf Pack
By Austin Jenkins
Olympia, WA June 26, 2008 12:37 p.m.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is intensively investigating photographs and reports of wolves in North Central Washington. But so far the agency says there’s no proof yet that a pack of wolves has taken up residence in the state. Correspondent Austin Jenkins reports.
The photographs — published this week — show what appear to be individual wolves near Twisp, Washington.
The images were captured by a camera placed in the woods in the Methow Valley. But whether these are transient wolves moving through the area or evidence of a resident pack is not known.
Jeff Koenings heads the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. He says his agency has a new genetic testing kit. He says the first step is to determine if these are wild gray wolves or a hybrid species.
Jeff Koenings: “The next question is: is he here today or gone tomorrow or is he actually here to stay. That’s the big question. That’s what was put on the table by this sighting.”
If a lone wolf has taken up residence in Washington State that would be significant. It would be even more significant if a breeding pair was living in Washington.
Koenings says both are possibilities, Washington has not had resident wolves since the 1930s.