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Idaho Hunters Paid to Kill Wolf Pups in Dens
7 Nov
Summary
- Officials paid hunters thousands to kill newborn wolf pups.
- Reimbursement covered expenses for killing wolves, including pups.
- Idaho aims to reduce wolf population by more than half.
In Idaho, USA, animal rights organizations have voiced strong opposition to a state-sanctioned program that offered monetary rewards to hunters for killing newborn wolf pups.
Officials reportedly paid out thousands of pounds to hunters and trappers who provided proof of dispatching wolves, with at least one instance involving the slaughter of an entire litter of 12 pups in their den. The reimbursement initiative, which concluded in June, covered expenses such as fuel, ammunition, and outdoor gear, and was designed to reduce the state's estimated 1,129 wolves to 500.
Advocacy groups have condemned the practice, with one director calling it an "abomination" and "a goddamned bounty," questioning the use of taxpayer money for such lethal actions. Experts have also raised doubts about the reported methods and scale of these kills, suggesting the practices are excessively cruel and unsportsmanlike.
