Idaho hunters kill 12 newborn wolf pups in a single day

Three hunters in Idaho’s northern panhandle killed 12 wolf pups on April 25 and were paid by officials, according to state records obtained by the Guardian and Public Domain. The pups were likely one to three weeks old.

The hunters were paid up to $2,000 per wolf during the hunting season that ended in June, and the pups were included in that count, the British daily reported. The killings have drawn criticism from wildlife advocates, particularly over evidence suggesting that hunters may have targeted wolf dens.Three hunters killed a dozen wolf pups this springThree separate hunters used rifles to kill a dozen wolf pups this spring, and the state’s own records show that each kill was paid for, the paper reported.

The pups were most likely one to three weeks old, too young to have teeth that officers could sample, Idaho Fish and Game biologist Cory Mosby told the publication.