According to reports, 42-year-old Roberts plowed over the wolf with a snowmobile, taped its muzzle shut, and took it to his house and a nearby pub where it slowly withered from its wounds.
Even though this incident occurred at the very end of February, images and videos of it have been making the rounds online and garnering a lot of attention.
A person had been cited “for a misdemeanor violation of Wyoming Game and Fish Commission regulations, Chapter 10, Importation and Possession of Live Warm-Blooded Wildlife,” according to an official acknowledgement made by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department last week.
It looks like the fine was $250. Many think Roberts ought to get a harsher punishment. (Some people have even launched petitions.)
Gray Wolves Are Listed as Predatory Species
This incident, according to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, took place in an area of the state where gray wolves are recognized by law as predatory animals. “Predatory animals are not managed by the department, and under Wyo. Stat. Ann. 6-3-1008 (a)(vii), animal cruelty laws do not apply to predatory animals,” the statement states.
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The Wyoming Game and Fish Department said that it got “a considerable amount of phone calls, emails, and social media messages involving the possession of a live wolf in Sublette County” following all of the media coverage.
Brian Nesviksays, director of Wyoming Game and Fish, stated that, “The actions and behaviors of the individual involved in this case are not reflective of Wyoming’s values for wildlife. The actions that came to light in this case were disrespectful to wildlife. These actions were not in keeping with conservation principles or ethical behavior. This incident casts a shadow over our state’s proven track record in successfully and responsibly managing our gray wolf population.”
