Yellowstone wolf killed near Butte

Montana wildlife officials say a female wolf from a defunct Yellowstone National Park pack was shot by a rancher who spotted the wolf attacking cattle south of Butte. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wolf program director Carolyn Sime says the wolf was shot on the west side of the Highland Mountains, about 150 miles from the park. Yellowstone wolf project biologist Erin Albers says the 2-year-old wolf was the last of the Druid Peak pack still wearing a radio collar. The Druid pack began to fall apart last fall when the alpha female died, the alpha male left and the remaining members were hit by mange, a parasite that causes wolves to lose their hair. The pack had a litter of pups last summer that all died of mange. AP