Washington officials are taking steps to ensure that the predicted resurgence of the endangered gray wolf in the state is managed correctly.
With state biologist Scott Fisher recently catching a glimpse of a possible gray wolf in a series of photographs, officials recognize that proper steps must be taken to help the rare wolf species thrive, The Seattle Times said Monday.
"We've had several wolves make forays into the state," Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife official Rocky Beach said. "We're getting more reports of wolves, both anecdotally and from our own people. They haven't set up shop and started making packs. But they're coming."
Washington ranchers and hunters made the species Canis lupus endangered because they viewed the wolf as a threat.
But environmentalists have alleged that the elusive predators are actually little danger to humans and livestock.
Their claims that all wolf species are actually part of nature's wild food chain in part led to the statewide drive to protect the wolves should they return in full, the Times said.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
Related stories:
Are wolves the pronghorn's best friend?
As western states debate removing the gray wolf from protection under the Endangered Species Act, a new study by the Wildlife Conservation Society cautions that doing so may result in an unintended decline in another species: the pronghorn, a uniquely North American animal that resembles an African antelope.
Research team examines the challenges of coexistence between humans, wolves
Having grown up on the crowded East Coast and studied wildlife in developing countries like Uganda and Ecuador, Adrian Treves knows just how difficult balancing the needs of people and wild animals can be - and how often human interests win out.
Are those Great Lake wolves or wannabes?
Today's Great Lakes gray wolf, de-listed by U.S. officials as an endangered species, probably is a hybrid and no longer the historic animal, biologists said.
Wolves of Alaska became extinct 12,000 years ago, scientists report
The ancient gray wolves of Alaska became extinct some 12,000 years ago, and the wolves in Alaska today are not their descendents but a different subspecies, an international team of scientists reports in the July 3 print edition of the journal
Current Biology.
Wolves remain elusive in lower Michigan
Michigan wildlife officials said they are convinced there are gray wolves in the Lower Peninsula even though no one has spotted a pack.
Wolves might be cut from endangered list
A federal official released details of a plan Thursday to remove gray wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan from federal Endangered Species protection.
Feds want wolves taken off endangered list
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was expected to issue a proposal Thursday removing gray wolves in the northern Rockies from the Endangered Species List.
Report: Wolves blameless in elk loss
The big, bad wolf may not be to blame for the drop in elk numbers in Yellowstone National Park.