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'Siberia is a home to the cultures of indigenes, including people whose ancestors migrated to the Americas'

A.J. Haywood

An extra $1 million goes into world's biggest wolf cull

By The Siberian Times reporter

26 February 2013

The government of the Sakha republic in Siberia has allocated extra cash to slaughtering wolves threatening remote reindeer villages.

First catch - hunters bring the wolves to be register by district authorities. Picture: Viktor Everstov, The Siberian Times

The governor of Russia's largest region - also known as Yakutia - has allocated 32 million roubles, just over $1 million - for the cull. Yegor Borisov wants to exterminate almost 90% of the wolves in the region, whioch would be the eighth largest country in the world if it was an independent state.

Currently some 4,000 wolves roam the republic and are blamed for killing 16,111 reindeer and 314 horses in 2012.

So far since 15 January only 161 wolves have been killed, according to official figures. Hunters are promised $1000 for each wolf hide, it is reported.

The aim is to leave the region with only 500 wolves.

Brigades of hunters are searching for the wolves and helicopters are promised to shoot them from the air.

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The real issue at hand. What does the world value more... The lively hoods of these livestock herders or the species of wolf living here? To me it seems drastic to wipeout basically an entire wolf population for the sake of a few people. These wild places are quickly disappearing much faster than people notice. To Pyo from germany, i know the reindeer herders need help but how do you like the sound of a world without wolves, brown bears, tigers etc? That is the world that we have been moving towards for the past 10000 years and it will happen if these types of culling are allowed. Humans can adapt to new ligestyles, wolves cannot.

Bill , Montana

08/11/2013 05:42

Hmmm Richard, I wonder if you would have that attitude if it was your livestock that were being eaten that you depended on to live.

Its cheap to pass judgments. Much cheaper than buying a new reindeer.

Pyo, Germany

02/03/2013 00:30

Sick and cowardly. Humans are so god damn greedy that they can't even let animals been in wilderness areas. The wolves have at least as much right to make a living as humans.

Richard Freeman, England

28/02/2013 03:35

how long will they be hunting I wonder? they've still got more 3,200 wolves to go...

Tom, Australia

27/02/2013 13:08