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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Wolf pup undergoing testing; authorities say leave young wild animals alone

Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) ― State wildlife officials are still uncertain what to do with a young wolf pup that was recovered a week ago near Ketchum by a pair of tourists. In fact, Idaho Fish and Game biologists say they aren't quite sure the pup is pure wolf or some kind of hybrid. For now, the little critter is at Zoo Boise, where he will undergo additional testing. The pup was recovered last Friday in the Smoky Mountains northwest of Ketchum by two out-of-state campers. The tourists say they watched the pup for an hour and didn't see any signs of the wolf pack before deciding to pick up the pup. Fish and Game officials spent two days trying to locate the pack, but questions remain whether the pack would welcome the pup back.

Idaho Department of Fish & Game warns, "People are reminded that it is best to leave young animals in the wild alone. In the case of the pup, it is possible that the pack was moving with the pups – perhaps from a den to a rendezvous site – and may have been disturbed by traffic on the road."



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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