Exploring Wolf Habitat Suitability in Washington State



Project Authors:

Mindy Clarke
Alia Dietsch
Danielle Ross-Winslow

Grey wolves (Canis lupis) were listed under the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1974 (2006) due to significant decreases in its habitat and population size across the lower 48 states. Such protection status and reintroduction efforts have enabled wolves to recover some of its historic habitat. Wolves are currently established in the Great Lakes region (i.e., Michigan, Minnesota) and the intermountain region (i.e., Idaho, Montana, Wymoing) and have started to recolonize Washington state. Some residents are concerned that an increase in wolves could lead to problems like attacks on livestock and population declines in certain hunted species. Others are excited about the prospect of having wolves return to Washington (for example, the opportunity to see wolves in the wild). With this in mind, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has developed a wolf management plan to address a myriad of concerns related to their arrival. Furthermore, the agency partnered with human dimensions researchers from Colorado State University (CSU) to conduct a study (Understanding People in Places, 2008) exploring residents' attitudes toward wolf management in the state.

PROJECT GOAL: This GIS project specifically explores habitat suitability for wolves in Washington. Using these results, we also explore how human dimensions data can be used to augment wildlife management decisions related to wolf recolonization of the state.


Photo courtesy of
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service