Russians in the Sakha Republic are being encouraged to target wolves as game for the next three months.

The announcement was issued in light of concerns that wolves were cutting down the reindeer population too quickly.

Officials hope to bring the wolf population down from 3,500 to 500 animals.

"The population is more concerned than ever about mass wolf attacks on farm animals," Sakha President Yegor Borisov was quoted in a regional paper. "We must determine a clear plan of action."

The top three hunters will receive a prize of 1 million rubles, or $33,000, each. By some estimates, wolves killed 16,111 domesticated reindeer and 313 domesticated horses in the last year, causing 150 million rubles, or $5 million, in damage (Steve Gutterman, Reuters, Jan. 15). -- MM