ANCHORAGE, Alaska—
Safety concerns prompted a state employee to shoot a wolf Wednesday on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Wolves have recently caused problems on base and in the Eagle River area, killing dogs and becoming aggressive toward people.An Alaska Department of Fish and Game employee killed the wolf with a shotgun, after spotting a pack of five wolves on base.
The state says it's working with the military to reduce the number of wolves. Wednesday’s shooting was the first wolf killed during the effort, but more may be killed in the coming weeks.
“That's not something we take lightly -- we understand that people appreciate wildlife in Alaska, but in this particular case the concern of public safety overrides our reluctance, maybe, to kill an animal,” said Fish and Game Regional Supervisor Mark Burch.
Burch says people need to be aware that there are aggressive wolves in the area. He says it's important to keep dogs on leashes, and encourages people to recreate on popular trails.
Fish and Game officials are asking people to report wolf sightings or wolf problems to them at 267-2257.
Contact Jackie Bartz at jbartz@ktuu.com
