Submission + - 400 Wolves Besiege Remote Russian Village 2
Hugh Pickens writes writes: The Daily Mail reports that a 'super pack' of 400 wolves has been terrifying the remote town of Verkhoyansk (population 1,300) in Northern Russia leaving more than 30 horses dead in just four days as twenty four teams of hunters have been put together with a bounty of $335 for every wolf skin brought to officials. "To protect the town we are creating 24 teams of armed hunters, who will patrol the neighbourhood on snowmobiles and set wolf traps" says district official Stepan Rozhin. "'But we need more people. Once the daylight increases, the hunters will start shooting predators from helicopters." Dr Valerius Geist, a wildlife behaviour expert, says the harsh Siberian winter — where temperatures plummet to minus 49C — is the problem with the cold killing off the animal's usual prey. "Wolves are very careful to choose the most nutritious food source easiest obtained without danger — which in this case happens to be horses," opines Geist. "They will start tackling dangerous prey when they run out of non-dangerous prey."
