A spate of wolf sightings around town seems to have the community on edge of late, with tales of stalking packs of wolves eyeing local pets as potential meals.
With the wolves becoming ever bolder and in view locally, officials are urging locals to become more aware of the creatures and how we can learn to live with them taking proper precautions.
The Daily provided coverage of the issue including a piece on a pair of local wolf watchers, who have been studying the animals for a couple of years now.
David Watson and Stacey Lavigne, have compiled a number of photographs of the wolves in the wild and in town during their studies, all in a bid to bring more awareness about them to the community. Much of their material is available on a website they have created called Kaien Island Wolves.
With the wolves becoming ever bolder and in view locally, officials are urging locals to become more aware of the creatures and how we can learn to live with them taking proper precautions.
The Daily provided coverage of the issue including a piece on a pair of local wolf watchers, who have been studying the animals for a couple of years now.
David Watson and Stacey Lavigne, have compiled a number of photographs of the wolves in the wild and in town during their studies, all in a bid to bring more awareness about them to the community. Much of their material is available on a website they have created called Kaien Island Wolves.
It provides a fascinating look at their interest in the animals as well as some rather stunning pictures. While some of their advice seems quite practical, dog owners in particular might have a few problems with the suggestion that locals limit their walking of their dogs only to the waterfront, where they will be safe. Most likely local dog owners aren’t quite ready to cede the rest of the city to the wolves.
The front page coverage the two received should provide them with more than a few curious questions from locals over the next few months, especially if the wolf sightings continue to increase in frequency.
RUPERTITES URGED TO BE WOLF-SMART
Don’t feed them and keep your distance, say council and local wolf-watchers
By Christian Webber
The Daily News
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Pages one and two
With several wolf sightings being reported from around the community, people are being asked to educate themselves about how to live with the surrounding wildlife.
The city has received numerous calls lately, and councilors asked people this week not to feed the wolves or the deer that attract them.
“I think this is really about educating people, said Coun. Kathy Bedard.
Most wolves are not dangerous to humans and there is a greater chance of being killed by lightning than being injured by a wolf, added David Watson and Stacey Lavigne, who have been studying and photographing wolves for nearly two years.
Even though they are not known for killing humans, in today’s world people are making wolves more comfortable by feeding them, and making them more brave by destroying their dens, forcing them to roam the streets.
Watson and Lavigne are hoping everyone stays safe along with their dogs, too.
“They are on the move now, there is no way to tell where they are staying, the pups are just about ready to leave their den site,” said Watson.
Once that happens in August, they take the pups and they go and show the area to the younger ones. That was witnessed last year by Watson, as he watched them cross the golf course for the first time during daylight.
Lavigne said that their main goal is to bring awareness to people about how wolves are not dangerous, as long as people obey the same rules.
She said when people are out walking dogs, they should be wary because we’re surrounded by many thousand miles of forest.
Sometimes wolves will think dogs are another kind of wolf, even, if it is on a leash. Lavigne warns people to make sure not to step between a wolf and any prey, even if that prey is your dog.
“If you want to walk your dog, walk it at the waterfront , that’s where it will be safe,” said Watson.
He said wolves are presently hanging around near Mount Hays and the golf course. The ones here are about 60-70 pounds. He said there is no such thing as a big wolf anymore. Also, the ones here are genetically different from timber wolves and gray wolves.
The wolves here can have coats of many colors, from gray to reddish, and in the sun they can look blond or golden brown.
Watson thinks recent ‘cougar’ sightings are actually wolves because of the colour described. He said he has also not seen scat or paw prints from a big cat and believes are climate is not right for them.
Gray wolves eat mostly deer, moose, caribou. Also medium sized mammals such as beaver can be an important secondary food source.
In Canada, their territories can range from 300 to 1,000 square miles. He said they have always been in Prince Rupert.
Lavigne pointed out that while pregnant, she went out taking photos of wolves and came within 20 feet and had no fear of them.
But they said people should definitely not feed them.
“See them, observe them and enjoy it, but don’t feed them or bring your dog out,” said Lavigne.
She said if you come close to a wolf, or they come close to you, make lots of noise, throw things at it and scare it, make sure it knows it shouldn’t be near humans.
Watson believes the local pack will soon move on because of all the construction going on.
Either they will leave Kaien Island and go to Digby Island or back into Port Edward, he said. He estimates that they could seem to Digby Island in less than 45 minutes.
“They are here because we have an overabundance in deer,” he said.
“We don’t have a wolf problem we have a deer problem,”
The front page coverage the two received should provide them with more than a few curious questions from locals over the next few months, especially if the wolf sightings continue to increase in frequency.
RUPERTITES URGED TO BE WOLF-SMART
Don’t feed them and keep your distance, say council and local wolf-watchers
By Christian Webber
The Daily News
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Pages one and two
With several wolf sightings being reported from around the community, people are being asked to educate themselves about how to live with the surrounding wildlife.
The city has received numerous calls lately, and councilors asked people this week not to feed the wolves or the deer that attract them.
“I think this is really about educating people, said Coun. Kathy Bedard.
Most wolves are not dangerous to humans and there is a greater chance of being killed by lightning than being injured by a wolf, added David Watson and Stacey Lavigne, who have been studying and photographing wolves for nearly two years.
Even though they are not known for killing humans, in today’s world people are making wolves more comfortable by feeding them, and making them more brave by destroying their dens, forcing them to roam the streets.
Watson and Lavigne are hoping everyone stays safe along with their dogs, too.
“They are on the move now, there is no way to tell where they are staying, the pups are just about ready to leave their den site,” said Watson.
Once that happens in August, they take the pups and they go and show the area to the younger ones. That was witnessed last year by Watson, as he watched them cross the golf course for the first time during daylight.
Lavigne said that their main goal is to bring awareness to people about how wolves are not dangerous, as long as people obey the same rules.
She said when people are out walking dogs, they should be wary because we’re surrounded by many thousand miles of forest.
Sometimes wolves will think dogs are another kind of wolf, even, if it is on a leash. Lavigne warns people to make sure not to step between a wolf and any prey, even if that prey is your dog.
“If you want to walk your dog, walk it at the waterfront , that’s where it will be safe,” said Watson.
He said wolves are presently hanging around near Mount Hays and the golf course. The ones here are about 60-70 pounds. He said there is no such thing as a big wolf anymore. Also, the ones here are genetically different from timber wolves and gray wolves.
The wolves here can have coats of many colors, from gray to reddish, and in the sun they can look blond or golden brown.
Watson thinks recent ‘cougar’ sightings are actually wolves because of the colour described. He said he has also not seen scat or paw prints from a big cat and believes are climate is not right for them.
Gray wolves eat mostly deer, moose, caribou. Also medium sized mammals such as beaver can be an important secondary food source.
In Canada, their territories can range from 300 to 1,000 square miles. He said they have always been in Prince Rupert.
Lavigne pointed out that while pregnant, she went out taking photos of wolves and came within 20 feet and had no fear of them.
But they said people should definitely not feed them.
“See them, observe them and enjoy it, but don’t feed them or bring your dog out,” said Lavigne.
She said if you come close to a wolf, or they come close to you, make lots of noise, throw things at it and scare it, make sure it knows it shouldn’t be near humans.
Watson believes the local pack will soon move on because of all the construction going on.
Either they will leave Kaien Island and go to Digby Island or back into Port Edward, he said. He estimates that they could seem to Digby Island in less than 45 minutes.
“They are here because we have an overabundance in deer,” he said.
“We don’t have a wolf problem we have a deer problem,”
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