A group of environmental groups has appealed to Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) to order the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission (WFWC) to draft rules against the taking of wolves after livestock conflicts.
WFWC previously denied the groups’ petition in late June. The petition proposes utilizing nonlethal deterrence methods to prevent livestock conflict and using lethal measures only as a last resort.
Inslee has 45 days as of July 23 to respond to the appeal and could overrule the commission’s decision and require a rulemaking to be initiated. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife recently killed an adult female wolf of the Wedge Wolf Pack after it repeatedly preyed on cattle in Stevens County.
