BOISE, Idaho (AP) — An Idaho Senate committee has approved legislation allowing the state to hire private contractors to kill about 90% of the wolves roaming Idaho.
The agriculture industry-backed bill approved Tuesday includes additional changes intended to cut the wolf population from about 1,500 to 150. Backers say there are too many wolves and they’re attacking cattle, sheep and wildlife.
Opponents say the legislation threatens a 2002 wolf management plan involving the federal government that could ultimately lead to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service taking back control of managing the state’s wolves. About 500 wolves have been killed in Idaho in each of the past two years.
God gave us dominion over the earth and the animals… that means we are responsible for managing the animals and sometimes we have to manage their population.