Wildlife researchers say they found two collared wolves last month that were killed illegally in the wilderness of northeastern Minnesota and have turned over their findings to state conservation officials for investigation in hopes of finding whoever is responsible.
While a lead researcher, Tom Gable, said he is keeping details about the killings under wraps so as not to undermine the investigation by the state Department of Natural Resources, a DNR report obtained by the Star Tribune disclosed that one of the wolves had been shot in the chest.
The most recent discovery by members of Gable's Voyageurs Wolf Project was made on Jan. 22 slightly north of Grand Rapids.
Wolf V088, a male one to two years old, went missing in early November, based on data collected from the animal's GPS and body-monitoring collar.
The remains were collected, and the researchers conducted a "thorough internal and external examination" that concluded that the wolf was killed illegally, Gable said.
"We suspect V088 did not die right away," the project explained in a Facebook posting, "but rather went a while/some distance before eventually dying."
On Jan. 15, a male wolf two to three years old was found and retrieved from below snow-covered ice 10 inches thick in the Vermilion River near Orr, thanks to its still-functioning collar. This wolf, V086, also went missing in early November.
Post-mortem examination led the project to conclude that this wolf also was killed illegally and then dumped in the river.
