Post by: bearpaw on July 30, 2012, 04:30:50 PM
Officers shoot, kill wolf that was stalking man, child and dog in Alberta park
First time conservation officers have had to put down a wolf in that area
By Justin Brisbane, For the Calgary HeraldJuly 26, 2012
Kananaskis Country conservation officers shot and killed a young wolf after it stalked a man, his child and puppy at the Mount Kidd campground Tuesday.
It's the first time in the history of Kananaskis Country that parks officials have had to kill a wolf.
According to Kananaskis senior parks ecologist Melanie Percy, the wolf was highly habituated and food-conditioned, and was likely fed along the roadside.
"It was an extremely unfortunate situation. The careless acts of a few individuals left us with a situation that was unmanageable and ultimately cost this wolf his life," Percy said.
On Tuesday morning, the man, boy and puppy were walking through the Mount Kidd campground when they noticed the wolf following them.
After they sought refuge in a nearby washroom, the wolf waited outside the building for them before losing interest and moving on.
Shortly after, conservation officers showed up and shot the young wolf, estimated to be two or three years old. A necropsy was conducted on Wednesday.
"We're 100 per cent sure it was the right wolf," Percy said.
Stalking the young family was the final nail in the wolf's coffin, although it exhibited alarming behaviour over the past week.
Conservation officers had received word of a wolf approaching vehicles, coming close enough to put its paws on cars. The behaviour suggests the wolf was fed from passing vehicles.
In the nearby mountain national parks, officials recently issued warnings to visitors after photos surfaced showing another wolf being fed rice cakes along Highway 93 in Kootenay National Park in B.C.
In the Kananaskis case, Percy said, "We had very few reports of the wolf until a week ago. It was approaching vehicles and not approaching people."
But last week, the wolf reportedly lunged at a motorcyclist, coming within two metres of the biker.
Then on Saturday, the wolf pursued a man and his six-year-old son on the Bill Milne bike trail in Evan-Thomas park. The man twice used his bike as a shield to scare away the wolf, which came within three metres of his son.
Later Saturday, the wolf was seen running through the campground with a roast in its mouth and reportedly chased cyclists around the campground.
Alberta Parks officials say they do not like to shoot wolves, but this animal gave them no choice.
"It would have been irresponsible to leave this wolf on the landscape. The implications of a wolf attack and their public acceptance would have been huge," Percy said.
"Wolf aggression toward humans is extremely rare, but the risk is elevated when a wolf becomes highly habituated to humans. Once food-conditioned by humans, wolves are considered to be dangerous and a threat to public safety."
Feeding wolves is an extremely dangerous activity and the animal al-most always ends up euthanized.
The lone wolf was not part of the Kananaskis pack, which has caused no public safety issues. Conservation officers have hazed them away from roadsides, but have been unsuccessful in attempts to collar the pack.
"The rest of the wolves are quite shy," Percy said.
Banff National Park officials had to destroy two wolves in 2001, also because of food conditioning.
Justine Brisbane is a reporter for the Rocky Mountain Outlook.
Post by: pianoman9701 on July 30, 2012, 06:45:58 PM
Post by: rasbo on July 30, 2012, 06:53:42 PM
Denial is not a river in Egypt.Its a slough in Italy, :chuckle:
it will never be the wolves fault in the eyes of them that refuse to admit to problems,many in the pro wolf crowd blamed the teacher that was killed in Alaska by wolves,she shouldnt be walking her dogs,is the response of many..Its a crying shame how wicked some of them freaks are towards human life..
Post by: rebal69972 on July 30, 2012, 10:02:11 PM
Post by: FALFire on July 31, 2012, 06:06:14 AM
What will it take? How many people have to get hurt
Funny... that's the same thing they say about our guns!! :dunno:
Post by: Kowsrule30 on July 31, 2012, 12:34:42 PM
Post by: pianoman9701 on July 31, 2012, 02:03:23 PM
What will it take? How many people have to get hurt
Funny... that's the same thing they say about our guns!! :dunno:
Not sure what your point is there, FAL. Maybe you'd care to elaborate.
Post by: FALFire on July 31, 2012, 07:20:27 PM
What will it take? How many people have to get hurt
Funny... that's the same thing they say about our guns!! :dunno:
Not sure what your point is there, FAL. Maybe you'd care to elaborate.
Nothing personal, it's just that every time I turn on the television these days, I hear the same quotes coming from the left regarding our firearms and the 2nd don't you?
So don't take it personal, I don't want the wolves here either, however, I am waiting very patiently for my first wolf tag :bfg:
Then I will be asking.... What will it take?....... Let's see, my 243 or 308??
How many will get hurt?...........I don't care, I will shoot til they quit moving. :tup:
Post by: sebek556 on July 31, 2012, 07:23:18 PM
Post by: FALFire on July 31, 2012, 07:59:50 PM
:lol4: 308 hmm somebody is not doing a mount :chuckle: :chuckle: :yike:
:chuckle: :chuckle: :dunno:
What can I say?? ;)
Post by: seth30 on July 31, 2012, 08:15:55 PM
:lol4: 308 hmm somebody is not doing a mount :chuckle: :chuckle: :yike:Dont rule out a euro mount :tup:
Post by: dscubame on July 31, 2012, 09:41:00 PM
Post by: HuntNFish on August 01, 2012, 01:45:26 PM
Post by: FALFire on August 01, 2012, 05:03:39 PM
I thought the pro wolf people said that wolves only prey on & stalk and kill the old, weak and diseased animals? :dunno: So where do hunting people fit into their hypothesis? Its sad that people feed this animal, but what the hell did they think this animal was going to eventually do. :bash: Good move by the park officials, to bad they can't find and ticket the people who fed the wolf.
Thats the point, they didn't think and they never think what could happen or the consequences are of what they are doing.
Most of those idiots that go to parks like that and feed the animals have only one connection with them......Disneyland :bash:
All they see is a cuddly little loving animal that they believe can talk. They somehow feel the need to feed them believing they are helping them survive. Signs don't help, these idjits come from all walks of life and most can't read.
The park officials should have a recorded message playing on loud speakers "DON'T FEED THE DAMN ANIMALS" in however many languages it takes and make it a $5000 fine for violators.
Post by: seth30 on August 01, 2012, 05:28:24 PM
Post by: KFhunter on August 01, 2012, 09:15:11 PM
Post by: elkfins on August 07, 2012, 11:53:26 AM
Feed the wolves. They will get habituated and then euthanized sooner than later.