Wolves in Washington Gray wolves may appear in southeast Washington within the next few years as they disperse from sites where they recently were reintroduced in Central Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. A wolf from an Idaho reintroduction program earlier this year traveled to eastern Oregon.
Wolves are territorial.
A wolf pack, which typically consists of about eight animals, generally dominates a territory that averages 350 square miles. Individual wolves also travel, covering distances of up to 500 miles. Although there have been occasional reports of individual wolves in Washington, no documented wolf breeding pairs or packs currently are known in this state. Wolves are highly adaptable and can survive in a variety of habitats, although they prefer relatively flat, open areas such as river valleys and basins. The gray wolf is listed as both a federal and a state endangered species.