Jan. 15 -- Two wolves in southeastern Washington were killed on Monday in response to a series of attacks on cattle.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced on Tuesday that its staff killed a yearling female and an adult male from the Columbia pack, fulfilling the lethal removal order issued by WDFW director Kelly Susewind last week.
The removal order followed the killing of a calf inside a corral in Columbia County on Dec. 29. It was the 12th animal this year that had been attacked by the Columbia pack, according to WDFW records.
Following the killing of the two wolves on Monday, the lethal removal order expires. A producer permit that the agency had issued also expires.
WDFW records show 2024 was a high-water mark for wolf-livestock conflict in Washington, with at least 56 cattle injured or killed by wolves.
Including the Columbia pack operation, WDFW has killed six wolves in the past six months in response to attacks on cattle.
WDFW's 2023 minimum count found that the state had at least 260 wolves across 42 packs. The Columbia pack was believed to consist of at least three wolves and was not considered a successful breeding pair.