Wolf Population Explodes In Bashkiria

In Bashkiria, the Volga area, the number of wolves has exceeded the critical mark and the predators are now damaging the national economy. For two years running the government of Bashkiria has been issuing instructions to exterminate wolves. The board for protection of the fauna at the Bashkir Forestry and Natural Resources Ministry reports that in January-February 2001 as many as 887 wolves were registered, in comparison with 656 a year before. Amateur hunters alone cannot stave off the threat of wolf invasion. The reward for killing a wolf is not high. Still, an unprecedented number of them, over 400, have been destroyed since the start of this year.