Wildlife Program

Jump to: Canada Lynx | Gray Wolf | Black Bear | Cougar

The Upper Columbia Highlands is a sanctuary of biodiversity and ecological balance. From hardwood and coniferous forests to serene meadows, vibrant wetlands, rivers and lakes, the Upper Columbia Highlands serve as a vital refuge for wildlife.

The region is home to charismatic large carnivores such as cougar, gray wolf, bear, and the elusive lynx. These apex predators are critical for maintaining ecological equilibrium and health, as they regulate prey populations, prevent overgrazing and support the health of vegetation.

Among herbivores, species like deer and moose not only serve as prey for predators but also contribute to forest regeneration by dispersing seeds and shaping undergrowth. Their grazing habits facilitate plant growth, aiding in nutrient cycling and forest floor dynamics.

Smaller creatures are equally significant. Beavers act as ecosystem engineers by building dams that create wetlands—vital habitats for a myriad of other species. The Highlands are also a haven for birdlife. Upwards of 180 birds are permanent or migratory species. These avian inhabitants pollinate plants, disperse seeds, and signal the health of the environment. Amphibians and insects, including rare and endemic species, thrive in the wetlands and meadows, further enriching the region’s biodiversity.

Wildlife Under Pressure

The Trump Administration is dismantling environmental protections and forcing legislation to sell our federal public lands to corporations and private interests.

Right now, the Trump Administration may issue a final rule removing protections for wolves and other species protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Trump administration’s proposed rule is to rescind the regulatory definition of “harm” under the ESA. As part of its proposal, the Trump administration has signaled its intent to eliminate protections for the habitats of imperiled species. This move is in opposition to significant scientific evidence linking habitat loss to extinction — and in doing so ignores both Congress’ intent and the Supreme Court’s ruling on how to implement the law. Habitat loss due to human development is one of the primary reasons species become threatened or endangered. The current definition of “harm” under the ESA prohibits significant habitat modification that kills or injures ESA listed species by removing necessities such as food and shelter. In late 2020, the Trump administration tried to delist gray wolves in the contiguous United States, removing them from the ESA. However, this decision was later overturned by a federal court in 2022, and the gray wolf was relisted under the ESA.

Also, the Trump Administration is waging a full attach on our national forests- our public lands. This assault could wipe out environmental protections resulting in habitat destruction accelerating the loss of biodiversity deadening nature as we know it. The Kettle Range Conservation Group and multiple conservation groups have strongly opposed the public land sales, arguing that these lands should remain in public ownership and be managed for their conservation and recreational values. Federal public lands are required to be managed for a variety of public benefits, and have laws and regulations that provide a measure of protection for watersheds, wildlife, and the health of the land.

Climate change is taking a toll due to rising temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns, leading to drought and increased frequency of extreme weather events impacting ecosystem health and resilience. Human encroachment into wildlife habitat and territories through road building, logging, and livestock grazing in our state and federal forests is resulting in the loss and fragmentation of habitat, the destruction of biodiversity and wildlife, and the increase in human-wildlife conflict.

Human-wildlife conflict can drive the decline of once-abundant species and is pushing others to the brink of extinction. We support human-wildlife coexistence which involves reducing conflicts by fostering mutual respect between humans and wildlife through educating ourselves about wildlife behavior and being safekeepers of wildlife.

Wildlife in Washington is at risk. The Washington State Department of Wildlife is in need of reform. The Department and the commission are dominated by an outdated mindset that does not reflect the values of the majority of the citizens of Washington state. Its leadership bends to special interest groups compounding additional threats to wildlife, biodiversity, and ecosystems.

The Washington State Legislature requested a report from the William D. Ruckelshaus Center to conduct a broad review of WDFW and to offer recommendations for improving the agency and the commission. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Organizational Review Final Report came out last year. Many interviewed said the nine-member commission was politically polarized and caught up in conflict. WDFW and State lawmakers have the opportunity to consider the information shared in this review and make positive change. The expectations of WDFW are high, as residents depend upon the Agency to serve as a trustee of the State’s fish and wildlife. The agency mandate: Wildlife, fish, and shellfish are the property of the state. The commission, director, and the department shall preserve, protect, perpetuate, and manage the wildlife and food fish, game fish, and shellfish in state waters and offshore waters.

The Kettle River Mountains is an area that is central to the long-term recovery of lynx in the region, Washington, and even in the lower 48 States. This is why the Kettle Range was designated a “core area” for lynx recovery in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS’s) 2005 recovery outline. The range is a “stronghold” for lynx conservation and a place where lynx reproduction has been documented and where lynx were routinely trapped and killed in Washington.

The Kettle Range contains ideal habitat for lynx. This includes boreal forest landscapes with sufficient snowshoe hare densities and winter snow conditions. The forests in the Kettle Range are primarily Northern Rocky Mountain mixed conifer. The stands are comprised of mature, dense stands of mixed conifers with sufficient horizontal cover which make it ideal for lynx. Historically, forest stands in the Kettle Range were not open and widely spaced dry forest stands (as suggested by the Forest Service when defining the historic range of variability).

The forest stands in the Kettle Range also experience winter conditions with deep snow for extended periods of time. Forest stands in the Kettle Range also include sites for denning such as downed trees and root wads and include matrix habitat allowing lynx to travel between patches of boreal forest.

From 1981 to 1988, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) tracked 30 lynx with radio-telemetry in north-central Washington, including in the Kettle Range. Three of the tracked lynx gave birth to kittens in the Kettle Range. WDFW determined the Kettle Range contains the second-largest block of lynx habitat in Washington and estimates that between 400 and 987 square kilometers of suitable lynx habitat is present in the range. WDFW estimates the area is capable of supporting a population of roughly 23 lynx.

What We Are Doing to Protect Canada Lynx

Northeast Washington’s remote and rugged forests are critical to the continued survival of numerous rare and imperiled species. One of those majestic species is the endangered Gray Wolf.

The Gray Wolf came back from the brink of extinction over 35 years ago when they gained federal protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). They made their way to Washington naturally and a resident wolf pack was first documented in 2008 in Okanogan County. Under Washington State law, wolves were listed as endangered in 1980.

Washington’s wolf recovery activities are guided by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Wolf Conservation and Management Plan, adopted in 2011 by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC). Under the plan, Washington state is divided into three recovery regions: Eastern Washington, the Northern Cascades, the Southern Cascades and Northwest Coast. In addition, WDFW approved Wolf-Livestock Interaction Protocol sets forth criteria for WDFW to collaborate with livestock producers to minimize conflicts with wolves.

Current Wolf Population Numbers

Since 2008 the wolf population has steadily increased until now. In 2024 – the population decreased for the first time in 16 years. In 2023 the minimum population count was 254, populating 2 of the 3 recovery zones. In 2024 the state’s minimum year-end wolf population had decreased to 230 wolves in 43 packs — a 9% decrease from 2023 minimum count of 254.

This decline follows four years of increased wolf kills, with 128 known wolf deaths reported from 2021 to 2024, compared to just 58 in the prior four years—an increase of more than 220%.

What We Are Doing to Protect Gray Wolf

Cougars, also known as mountain lions, are the largest members of the cat family in Washington. Mountain lions are often known for their role as a keystone species, but they are less commonly known as an umbrella species. While a keystone species is a species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, that if it were removed the ecosystem would change drastically, an umbrella species is a species that have either large habitat needs or other requirements whose conservation results in many other species being conserved at the ecosystem or landscape level. Umbrella species are those “whose conservation provides protection to a large number of naturally occurring species” (Roberge and Angelstam 2004, in Caro 2010).

Cougars play a vital role in not only supporting the health and function of ecosystems, but also by promoting biodiversity. Cougars provide a critical first line of defense against the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and other diseases affecting ungulates. Cougars target prey with CWD and remove prion from the environment.

This is one of many ways that mountain lions benefit wild ungulate populations and the humans who value them, including hunters. Their role in ecosystem health resilience should not be underestimated. There are many groups across the state working to protect cougars.

What We Are Doing to Protect Cougars

A robust black bear population is critical for ecosystem health and resilience. These “ecosystem engineers” disperse seeds, aerate soil, and regulate prey populations. They contribute to plant diversity, nutrient cycling, and forest regeneration. Bears maintain balance in the food web by preying on herbivores and scavengers, ensuring a healthy flow of energy and nutrients.

Based on the latest data, WDFW estimates that there are about 22,000 black bears in Washington. This estimate accounts for all ages of black bears, including cubs. Black bears live in a diverse array of forested habitats in the state. Black bears prefer forest cover. Habitat degradation significantly impacts black bear populations in Washington State, leading to decreased food availability, altered denning sites, and increased human-bear conflicts. Hunting, poaching, human development, and climate change all contribute to habitat degradation.

Black Bear Population at Risk

In 2019, WDFW increased bear hunting (2019 Bear Hunt Rule) even though it had just learned that bear densities were much lower in many areas than previously thought, and that the statewide population was about 30% smaller than long assumed.