WDFW killed the mother and pup last month. Today, the last surviving pack members are in the crosshairs, the father and pup.

On Friday, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced its plans to kill the last remaining two wolves from a wolf family that has repeatedly preyed on cattle.

So, as you read this, WDFW sharpshooters are taking to the sky to find and kill the last surviving members of the Old Profanity Territory (OPT) wolf family.

The young family, originally consisting of a breeding pair and their pups, was dealt a devastating blow in September when the mother and one pup were killed in an attempt to stop the family from attacking livestock. The father and remaining pup will now be killed as well.

Does this sound familiar? It should.

One of the oldest and most primitive responses to conflict with livestock is to kill the predators, even if they are already rare and or threatened with extinction. This is not the first time WDFW has resorted to killing wolves on this on this particular grazing allotment.

The OPT wolves reside on land that was once home to the Profanity Peak pack, a wolf family that was obliterated by WDFW officials in 2016 in an effort to stop depredation on livestock in these same rugged mountains.

When will WDFW recognize that killing isn’t the solution?

The agency knows that peer-reviewed research shows that killing predators is not only ineffective, but it can even result in increased attacks on livestock by survivors.

Killing wolves (state endangered wolves no less) on America’s public lands to benefit the profit margins of a private business is wrong.

The benefits that predators and functioning ecosystems provide to humans are of enormous value. Instead of killing wolves, we would be wise to work hard to preserve them.

Please contact WDFW Director Kelly Susewind before it’s too late and respectfully ask him to call off the kill order.

CALL 360-902-2200
E-mail director@dfw.wa.gov