State decides to kill entire wolf pack in northeast Wash.

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- State wildlife officials say an entire wolf pack in Ferry County will be killed after two calf carcasses and an injured calf were found. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife says it has confirmed a wolf attack on the injured calf and that the dead calves were probably killed by wolves. The wolves have killed or injured six cows or maybe five others since mid-July. Jim Unsworth, director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife, authorized field staff to remove the remaining members of the Profanity Peak wolf pack to prevent additional attacks on cattle between Republic and Kettle Falls. State wildlife officials shot two pack members Aug. 5, but ended the kills after two weeks passed without any more attacks on cattle, "At that time, we said we would restart this operation if there was another wolf attack, and now we have three," said Donny Martorello, department wolf policy lead. "The department is committed to wolf recovery, but we also have a shared responsibility to protect livestock from repeated depredation by wolves."...more