Wolf lovers hold vigil to protest Idaho wolf hunts

January 9th 2012

A large group of wolf lovers gathered in North Idaho Monday night to hold a vigil in support of wolves.The Northern Idaho Wolf Alliance joined together at Independence Point in Coeur d' Alene to mourn the 337 wolves they say have been killed in Idaho and Montana in the last four months. They're calling it the Full Wolf Moon, a nationwide event, Idaho Fish and Game claims that hunting wolves protects elk herd numbers, protects livestock, and keeps the public safe.NIWA, however, says hunting wolves is cruel and unjustified and the reasons brought forth by Idaho Fish and Game don't make for a valid argument."If you believe that wolves are a danger and elk when they actually help the ecosystem the wolves were here first, we weren't," wolf lover Cathy Stewart said."I don't think everybody in Idaho wants to eradicate wolves all together, but they do have to be managed," hunter Patrick Kraphl said.Regarding public safety concerns, NIWA says there are only two possible fatal wolf attacks in North America in the last century. They say wolves are loving animals and don't deserve to die.

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