Two Wolves Released After Cattle Killings

Two wolves that were captured last month after their pack killed livestock near Boulder were released in Glacier National Park Wednesday.

Park officials released the adult male and yearling female wolves in the upper McDonald Valley, west of the Continental Divide.

Five wolves from the Boulder Pack were captured in early September about 30 miles southwest of Helena in the Deer Lodge National Forest.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said the predators killed three calves, two on private land and one on national forest grazing land.

Earlier this week, the three pups from the pack were returned to the capture site. Since their capture, cattle in the area were moved to winter pasture.

The wolves relocated to Glacier were fitted with radio collars so government biologists can monitor their movement. The wolves could be killed if they leave the park to prey on livestock again.

Park Superintendent David Mihalic said he is worried that the latest wolf reintroduction at Glacier may stress the park’s resident wolf packs.

“Most of the quality habitat for wolves within the park is already occupied,” he said, with about 30 wolves running in two separate packs in Glacier.

“This is the fourth wolf release in Glacier in the past five years,” Mihalic said. “In fact Glacier remains the only site in Montana where potential problem wolves have been relocated.”