Cattle-eating wolf pack killed in NE Washington

CREATED Oct. 1, 2012

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SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- A wolf pack that has been preying on cattle in northeast Washington has been eliminated.

The state Fish and Wildlife Department says the alpha male was killed Thursday by a helicopter gunner just south of the Canada border in Stevens County.

Agency director Phil Anderson says a total of six wolves were killed since Saturday when the Wedge pack was targeted for elimination.

Anderson says it was necessary to kill the pack to create an opportunity for other wolves that are not accustomed to preying on livestock. He says the department will work with ranchers and conservation groups on non-lethal methods to protect cattle, but killing wolves will remain a last resort.

The Spokesman-Review reports wildlife agents are monitoring other wolf packs in Eastern Washington.

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Information from: The Spokesman-Review, http://www.spokesman.com