Gray wolf and grizzly bear recovery in Washington will be the topic for the next program in the Adventure and Conservation Speaker Series.
Lorna Smith, executive director of Western Wildlife Outreach, and Darrell Smith, project biologist, will give an update during “Large Carnivores of the Pacific Northwest” on Jan. 15.
They will talk about the return of the gray wolf to the state and what is next for grizzly recovery efforts in the North Cascades.
Eight wolf packs have now been confirmed in the state, while the North Cascades grizzly population might number no more than 20. The Smiths will discuss what comes next for these animal populations, as well as address recovery planning.
Western Wildlife Outreach, created in 2002, first concentrated on grizzly bear recovery in the North Cascades and the Selkirk Mountains in northeast Washington and northwest Idaho. The group now provides information about bear, wolf, and cougar ecology; behavior, safety and recovery of wolves and grizzly bears under the Endangered Species Act.
You can learn more about the Port Townsend-based group, formerly Grizzly Bear Outreach Project, at westernwildlife.org.
The program will be from 7-8:15 p.m. The series is co-sponsored by Capitol Land Trust.
The free event will be held at REI, 625 Black Lake Blvd. SW, Suite 410, Olympia. To attend, you must register at rei.com/Olympia. Space is limited. For more information, call 360-786-1938.
