Endangered Pack Of Gray Wolves To Be Exterminated In Washington Soon

Washington state officials have been given the go-ahead to exterminate a pack of 11 gray wolves after they were determined to be behind attacks against cattle. The state is estimated to only have about 90 gray wolves total spanning 19 packs, and the controversial decision to eliminate one of the packs — called the Profanity Peak pack — will reduce the overall percentage of these endangered gray wolves significantly. The pack, however, has killed more than a dozen adult cows and calves with no sign of stopping.

The state's Fish and Wildlife officials became aware of the issue earlier this summer when 11 cattle total were found dead at various times in and near the Coalville Confederated Tribe reservation. By the beginning of August, another seven calves had been found dead or injured, and, finally, this past Friday another two were found dead and a calf was found injured.

Given the large number of deaths in a very short period of time, Washington's Fish and Wildlife Director made the difficult decision to authorize extermination of the pack responsible for the deaths. The department's wolf policy director cited a responsibility to protect livestock in addition to protecting wolves.

The decision, which is described as being a last resort, is not without its critics. Seattle enviro consulting firm senior partner and state Sen. Kevin Ranker is among those critics, saying the original intention had been the possible extermination of half the pack in an effort to see if the remaining wolves would stop killing cattle.

The decision to exterminate the entire pack at once rather than half is being called extreme and, possibly, uncessary.

SOURCE: NBC News