A pack of seven wolves has been found in the Boise Foothills.
According to the Capital Press, lone wolf sightings in the foothills north of the capital city aren't rare, but this is believed to be the first time a pack has been confirmed there.
Idaho Wildlife Services State Director Todd Grimm confirmed to the agricultural news outlet that seven different sets of wolf tracks have been found near the Avimor Subdivision.
"Any time there is an additional predator around that can cause a hit on a rancher's bottom line, that's not great news," Cameron Mulrony, Idaho Cattle Association's Executive Vice President, told the Capital Press. Mulrony notes he hasn't heard of any problems from nearby cattle ranchers, but that just having wolves in the area can cause cattle to put on less weight.
It's not known where the wolves might have come from, though scientists think they're following their winter food source closer to the Treasure Valley.
“The wolves come down because the game come down,” Jennifer Struthers, a regional wolf biologist for Idaho Fish and Game told the Capital Press. “We get a few sightings most winters by the public or when we fly. Where they go in the spring and summer time, we really don’t know.”
It's unclear where the pack's current whereabouts are or where they might migrate during the summer months.
