This is a weekly update for the Togo pack following the lethal removal authorization by WDFW Director Kelly Susewind on Aug. 26.
On Aug. 26, WDFW Director Kelly Susewind authorized Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) staff to lethally remove one to two wolves from the Togo pack territory in response to repeated depredations of cattle on public and private grazing lands in Ferry County under the guidance of the state's Wolf Conservation and Management Plan and the lethal removal provisions of the department's wolf-livestock interaction protocol.
WDFW has not removed any wolves since the authorization, but has made attempts. WDFW has not documented any additional wolf depredations in the Togo pack territory since Aug. 17; however, livestock producers in the pack territory are still reporting negative interactions between wolves and livestock. WDFW documented four depredation events resulting in one dead and three injured calves since June 24, 2021 attributed to the Togo pack.
The lethal removal authorization expires when the wolf or wolves in the authorization have been removed or after Sept. 26, 2021 (regardless of whether wolves have been removed), whichever comes first. The authorization could be extended or amended to include other wolves in the pack area if additional depredations are documented in the 30 days following the initial authorization or other extenuating circumstances are identified.
WDFW will keep the public informed about this activity through weekly updates. The next update will be provided on Sept. 30, 2021.
Previous updates
2021 Togo pack updates
WDFW will provide a final report on this and any other lethal removal actions during 2021 in the Washington Gray Wolf Conservation and Management 2021 Annual Report, which will be published during spring 2022.
A summary of all documented depredation activity within the past 10 months is included in every monthly wolf update.