TOWN UNDER SIEGE FROM KILLER WOLVES

A BLOODTHIRSTY "super-pack" of 400 killer wolves has gone on the rampage leaving villagers in fear for their lives after a four-day massacre.

Usually the fanged fiends hunt in packs of just six or seven but so far this wolf army has killed more than 30 horses and deer as they prey on one of Russia's smallest towns.

They prowl at the edge of Verkhoyansk in the north-east of the country where they are working their way up the food chain - and villagers fear they could be next.

Hunters have hurriedly organised themselves into 24 teams in a bid to resist the savage onslaught.

They patrol on snowmobiles and plan to take to the skies to shoot the ferocious beasts dead once daylight hours improve in the far-north region.

Baffled

Volunteers are being encouraged by local officials who are handing out rewards of £210 for each wolf skin brought in.

Local official Stepan Rozhin said: "Once the daylight increases, the hunters will start shooting predators from helicopters."

The rare sight of hundreds of the beasts coming together to feast has left wildlife experts baffled.

Behaviour expert Dr Valerius Geist believes a shortage of food thanks to the harsh Siberian winter can be the only explanation.

He said: "It is unusual for wolves to gather in such numbers or hunt large animals like horses.

"However, the population of their usual prey, rabbits, has decreased this year due to lack of food, so wolves have had to change their habits.

"Wolves are very careful to choose the most nutritious food source easiest obtained without danger - which in this case happens to be horses.

"They will start tackling dangerous prey when they run out of non-dangerous prey."

The town has a population of only 1,300 and is one of the remotest places in the northern hemisphere.

It is in a region known as Stalin's Death Ring because that is where the former dictator sent political exiles to suffer the extreme conditions as punishment.

source: The Sun.co.uk