The Crimean Nature Reserve has come forward with an initiative to establish hunting limits for wolves after the animals reappeared in the area following decades of absence, a news report said Sunday.
Wolves were depopulated from the area in 1922 but have migrated back recently, the online news site Crimean News Service cited the press service of Crimea's State Forestry Committee as saying.
The first sign that wolves had returned to the area was recorded in June, when a wildlife inspector heard one howling, the report said.
Another 14 instances of possible wolf sightings have been recorded since then, though wildlife officials have not ruled out that some of these instances involved wild dogs rather than wolves.
In April 2012, four people were injured in a wolf attack in the Krasnogvardeisky district. The wolf was shot dead and veterinarians later determined that it had rabies.
Last year, ecologists in Crimea proposed banning the hunting of wolves, arguing that it would only be beneficial to poachers.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.