Gray wolf population growth slowed significantly In Washington state last year, and environmentalists say the state Is too quick to kill wolves that prey on livestock. At the end of last year, the state had at least 122 wolves, 22 packs and 14 successful breeding pairs. That's the highest total since surveys started in 2008 but barely higher than the 2016 count. In the previous decade, wolf populations had grown about 30 percent per year. "The sharp departure from wolf number increases in past years is cause for serious concern," said Amaroq Weiss, West Coast wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. "While population growth hasn't stopped entirely, these modest numbers clearly indicate the state should not kill any more wolves."
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