Mass killing of animals for protecting another?! How friendly is it for the nature’s food chain? And to add to it, Alaskan officials are luring hunters with cash and other incentives to do this job – i.e. killing wolves under Alaska’s predator-control program.
Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game promised to give $150 for every left foreleg of a wolf killed in the five areas allotted for culling the packs. These incentives are an extension of Alaska’s aerial wolf-control program, which is already under controversy.
The program permits hunters to shoot and kill the animals from aircraft. The department also seeks to raise the number of permits for hunters who kill wolves from aircraft.
Ron Clarke, assistant director of the department’s Division of Wildlife Conservation said,
The distinction we’re trying to draw here is that in the bad old days bounties were put on things for elimination. They were broad-based.
The program will also allow permit more of fly state biologists for helping it find wolves for hunters and also have state workers track and kill wolves by helicopter if necessary.