TWISP, Wash., June 6 (UPI) -- Some residents of Okanagan County, Wash., say they are nervous about the presence of a wolf pack in the area despite calming words from environmentalists.
The Seattle Times said Saturday while environmentalists and government officials alike have called for a peaceful coexistence between the wolves and area residents, county ranchers like Vic Stokes and Craig Vejraska remain skeptical.
"We don't see them as the warm and fuzzy creatures others do," Stokes said. "Wolves are a force to be reckoned with for us."
"It's got us all concerned," Vejraska said. "Wolves have a big range and it's just a hop, skip and a jump until they're causing trouble in our valley."
But Mitch Friedman of the environmental group Conservation Northwest insists the wild animals, blamed for at least one cattle death in Methow Valley, can be dealt with peacefully.
"There are probably 100 ways we can resolve these conflicts. It's just going to take some time and patience," Friedman told the Times.
