SPOKANE — A lawsuit filed Thursday seeks to prevent the state from killing more wolves from a pack that is preying on cattle.

The Maryland-based Center for a Humane Economy filed the suit in King County Superior Court, contending too many wolves have been killed as a way to protect livestock at a single ranch in the Kettle River Range in Ferry County.

The center and other conservation groups say it may be time to consider moving the cattle off Colville National Forest grazing lands that are also prime wolf habitat.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife said Wednesday it planned to kill more members of the Old Profanity Territory wolf pack. The agency killed one wolf last month in an effort to change the behavior of the pack.

Since then, the pack has been blamed for killing two cows and injuring five others. The pack is credited with 27 depredations since September.