For each wolf killed, the hunter will be awarded $400, because the large wolf population threatens livestock, which is also the main source of income for people in Siberia.
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| Siberia is one of the coldest places on earth. The wolf population is so large that the locals have to take drastic measures to protect their livestock. Here, hunter Ion Maxsimovic stands next to a wolf that was shot dead. In winter, an adult can freeze to death in two hours in the Sakha Republic. |
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| The Yakutian people of Sakha are living in poverty because their reindeer herds are constantly attacked by wolves. Wolves hunt in groups of about 6-7 animals, but they are so hungry that they can form groups many times larger. A reindeer race takes place during the Khatystyr festival (pictured). This is an opportunity for nomadic people to interact and get closer to each other. |
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| A wolf skin and fur at the Sakha Bult factory in Yakutsk, a city in Russia's far east. It will be used to make clothes or carpets. The photo above was taken in March 2015. |
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| An Evenki man leads his reindeer into the forest, where they are easy prey for wolves. Photo taken in Khatystyr, Russia. |
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| Maximovic prepares his wolf trap. To control the wolf population, the Russian government and local authorities in Siberia have set a $400 bounty for each wolf captured. The person who catches the most gets an additional big reward. |
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| According to photographer James Morgan, who took the photos, Maxsimovic is the best wolf hunter in the area. In addition to using traps, the hunters also use guns to kill the wolves. |
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| Maxsimovic and his companion Yegor Dyachkovsky are carrying a wolf that has just been caught in a trap. On average, a brown wolf can weigh up to 43 - 45 kg. |
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| After killing the wolf, the two men dismantled the trap and prepared to load it onto a sled. They skinned it and transported it to a workshop in Sakha Bult, Yakutsk, while the meat was burned. |
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| Yegor Dyachkovsky is Ion Maxsimovic's assistant on every wolf hunt. "He is a quiet man, but he works very hard," Maxsimovic said. |
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| In 2014, Maxsimovic killed 23 wolves, more than any other hunter, and won a prize worth nearly $4,600 and a snowmobile. |
According to VNE
