The Wildlife Science Center in Anoka is searching for 3 of the 4 wolves that escaped their property last week. One of the wolves was hit by a car and had to be put down.

Wild Place Project Welcomes A Pack Of Wolves
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About 120 wolves call the Wildlife Science Center home.  "We have the largest captive population in North America here," animal care coordinator Megan Beckel told FOX 9 Monday.

They are speculating that the wolves escaped after a newborn pup was taken away to be bottle fed. According to the Wildlife Science Center, in Stacy Minnesota, the pack "lost their minds" and managed to escape to search for the missing pup.

"Overnight we have a six foot ground apron, they dug down, over the ground apron and up and went looking for their puppy," Beckel explained.

The 4 wolves, of a pack of 10, made a break for it on Thursday night in search of the pup they thought was missing, when it was just taken away temporarily to be bottle fed.

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"We’re devastated, the wolves are scared, they’re not dangerous to anybody they just want to go home," Beckel said.

Neighbors have reported sighting of the wolves around town. "It was definitely a wolf, I knew that," David Crever said. "I wasn’t expecting to see that on my way to work. A little smaller than wild Timberwolves that I’m used to seeing but definitely not a domestic dog. It’s the first time I’ve seen a wolf around here [in about 20 years]."

According to the Center, the wolves are probably hungry and have never had to hunt for their own food before and people around town are on the hunt for them.

"That is the downside to the public knowing is everybody wants to shoot shovel and shut up with wolves," Beckel said. "None of us are sleeping, anytime our phone rings we’re jumping, did somebody shoot them, did somebody hit them, what’s going on."

The Wildlife Science Center is asking anyone that spots the wolves to call 651-464-3993 immediately.

Let's hope the all get back to the Center safely.

(FOX 9)

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