Free Republic

PRAY - For rancher Randy Petrich, the removal of gray wolves from the endangered-species list - a move that would open up the animals to hunting in the Northern Rockies for the first time in decades - couldn't come soon enough. Petrich has seen fresh wolf tracks almost every morning this fall - close enough to threaten his cattle. "I believe that any wolf on any given night, if there happens to be a calf there, they will kill it," ... Just 12 years since the wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park ... federal officials say the sharp rise...

Cattle ranchers in the Paradise Valley say shipping weights have declined since wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in 1995. They say their cattle stay close to gates instead of grazing entire pastures. Wary animals tend to eat less than relaxed animals.

A grandfather hiking a trail...with his 4-year-old grandson was attacked yesterday by a coyote, but saved the youngster by grappling with the animal as it continued to bite him. Arthur Cole, 76, was attacked...by a 40-pound gray coyote, according to police. He was bitten several times but his injuries were not life-threatening. His grandson, Nicholas, escaped unhurt and ran the half-mile to his grandparents' house... When Arthur's wife and Nicholas' dad asked, "Where's Grampy?" the youngster replied, "A wolf got him," ... Peter Cole, who was visiting his parents, jumped into his truck, drove to the development's community center and...

A 7-year-old boy hiking with his family was attacked Saturday by a mountain lion... The boy, whose name was not released, was apparently in a group taking a short hike at a scenic area of Flagstaff Mountain, Division of Wildlife spokesman Tyler Baskfield said. "The father turned and saw the cat had a hold of the young boy," ... The group began screaming at the cat and throwing rocks and was able to free the boy... the mountain is prime habitat for the cats, and there had been several recent sightings of mountain lions in west Boulder.

confirmed killed by wolves... the confirmed kills varied from the reported animal deaths and values, which came to 40 animals valued at roughly $40,000. He cautioned people not to draw conclusions about the confirmed numbers, because unconfirmed kills are often those in which the livestock is discovered too late to actually identify, by tracks, tooth marks or other means, the actual cause of death. Their agency is part of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, though they often are mistaken for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is part of the...