BILLINGS – Federal wildlife agents are working to remove gray wolves from six packs in Montana in response to recent livestock attacks.
Agents from the Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services are trying to kill between 16 and 22 wolves at sites scattered across western Montana.
The agency operates under authorization from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Wolves in Montana and Idaho were removed from the endangered species list in the spring, leading to the first public hunting for the animals in decades this fall. But wolf attacks on livestock have continued.
Carolyn Sime with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks says it is unusual to have so many livestock attacks this late in the year. To date, 91 wolves have been killed in 2009 by officials or ranchers who caught the predators in the act.
Another 112 have died from hunting, natural causes and other reasons.