They're baaaaaack!

Wolves are, that is,in Washington State.  After an absence of some 70 years,though some of their number have trotted in an out of Our Fair State from time to time. But now, apparently, a pack has made itself comfortable in the mountains of central Washington. The Seattle Times had a story just this morning, and a picture to go with it. There was evidence, even before this

picture,though.  A rancher tried to send a bloody wolf hide via FedEx to somebody or other,and that got into the paper. And a cow was found dead in the Twisp area, which got some people there all upset. But the state wildlife people investigated, and Defenders of Wildlife offered to compensate the owner of the deceased cow. Turned out the cow probably wasn't killed by wolves, because there are plenty of deer around there that they can chow down on, plus not a few elk(Cervus elaphus  -- for any "overseas" readers, these are the "red deer" of Eurasia).  So they don't need to eat the local cows, and the farmers and ranchers around there can do things to minimize the possibility.  Besides which, if those wolves are smart -- and wolves are pretty smart as "lower" animals go -- they'll keep to themselves.  I suppose a lot of people will visit Twisp and the surrounding area to see wolves. If they get lucky, they'll probably see tracks and/or hear them howl.  I wonder how this will all play out.  My "non-medieval" science fiction stories have wolves in them, inhabiting an area not too far from a fictional Washington former timber town,but that fictional former timber town isn't anywhere near Twisp. In any case, all I can say is, a big, loud, Yay!  It's about time!

Anne G