Yellowstone National Park scientists say wolf hunts are proving harmful to their decades-long research after they lost a record number of the predators to this year's hunting season. Yellowstone wolf biologist Doug Smith says that 12% of the park's wolf population was killed by hunters after the predators were stripped of their federal protections in both Wyoming and Montana. Hunters killed several wolves that had been collared, including five key members of the park's packs. Three were wearing expensive GPS collars. The deaths of just a few choice wolves have resulted in the likely loss or collapse of 2 packs and aborted the history and trend data biologists have built.
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