Posted: Friday, September 28, 2012 3:54 PM
State kills sixth wolf in Washington
Capital Press
A Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife marksman has killed the Wedge Wolf Pack's alpha male near the Canadian border, bringing to six the total number of wolves shot during the week.
The Sept. 27 killing concluded the state's efforts to eliminate the wolves, which northeastern Washington ranchers said had killed or injured at least 20 cattle.
State officials estimated at least eight wolves were originally in the pack.
Department director Phil Anderson said in a press release the pack's removal was necessary to reset the stage for sustainable wolf recovery in the region.
The department will continue to monitor wolf activity in the region and work with ranchers and conservation groups to promote non-lethal tactics to avoid wolf attacks on livestock.
"Lethal removal will remain a wolf management option, but we will use it only as a last resort, after all reasonable non-lethal options are exhausted," Anderson said.
Comments made about this article
Posted By: Randy Wagner On: 10/4/2012
Title: Phil Anderson needs to resign
Washington State Fish & Wildlife called open season on wolves in NE Washington State for hoodlums in helicopters to shoot and destroy all wolves they could find. Tracking collars were placed on some of these wolves to better be able to follow their behavior and to help reintroduce them into the State. But our fine official Phil, lined with money from the ranchers gave in and allowed the electronic tracking of our states wolf pack for slaughter. Time for these so-called ranchers to start paying for access to public lands for grazing, along with the prerequisite that they will oversee management of their herds instead of just letting them roam free unsupervised.