New wolf pack confirmed in north-central Washington

A new wolf pack has been confirmed in north-central Washington near the towns of Omak and Twisp, federal and state officials said.

The Loup Loup Pack was named for a place within the wolves’ range in the Methow Valley.

Confirmation of the new pack came after reports of public sightings of multiple wolves in the area. The wolves’ presence was later confirmed through surveys by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and USDA Wildlife Services.

Biologists will monitor the new pack over the winter. Next summer, they will try to capture one of the wolves and outfit it with a radio collar to track the pack’s travels.

Since the pack is in the western two-thirds of Washington, it is federally protected under the Endangered Species Act. Wolves in the eastern third of Washington are under state management.

Washington’s wolf population has continued to grow. At the end of 2014, the state had at least 68 wolves in 16 wolf packs with a total of 5 successful breeding pairs.