Minnesota wildlife center captures last escaped wolf after week-plus search in Anoka County
The Wildlife Science Center says all escaped wolves are now accounted for.
(FOX 9) - All four wolves that escaped a wildlife center in Anoka County, Minnesota last week have now been accounted for, the wildlife center said Friday.
In a Facebook post, the Wildlife Science Center said Gigantor was captured after being spotted in the Carlos Avery State Wildlife Management Area. The center says after finding the wolf, they were able to drug it and bring it back to their facility.
Gigantor was one of four wolves that escaped the center Thursday, May 27 after the center said the pack had a bad reaction when they removed a pup from its mother.
Along with Gigantor, the center was also able to bring Rufus back home after that wolf was found wandering along Viking Boulevard, a road that runs through Oak Grove and Nowthen. Rufus was captured with help from the Anoka County Sheriff's Office.
But, while two made it back to the center in Stacy, Minnesota safely, two other wolves were killed during the course of the past week. The center said one had to be euthanized after being hit by a car and another was shot by a resident near the Stacy trailer courts.
The public didn't learn of the wolves' escape until days later, leaving some uneasy about wolves being on the run and other upset that the center hadn't disclosed the news sooner. However, the Wildlife Science Center said they were worried they might panic the public if they disclosed the escape. The center also said the wolves posed no risk to the public and, since they were raised in captivity, they don't know how to catch prey.