Mass. Sees First Gray Wolf in 160 Years

U.S. wildlife officials said an Eastern gray wolf killed on a Western Massachusetts farm was the first of its species spotted in the state in 160 years.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials said the animal, which was killed after mauling 13 sheep, was the first Eastern gray wolf confirmed in Massachusetts since hunters drove the species from the area in the 1800s, the Boston Globe reported Wednesday.

To find a real one is pretty exciting, said Thomas Healy, who heads the agency’s Northeast region. But what we don’t know about this animal far outweighs what we do know.

Healy said the wolf probably made its way to Massachusetts from Canada or the Great Lakes region. He said there are no indications that the wolves are breeding in the area.

Some wildlife specialists said a resurgence of gray wolves in New England could help balance the ecosystem, particularly when it comes to controlling deer populations.