Some helpful tips for learning how to live with wolves.
We need to keep our wolves WILD; here’s what each of us can do!
Never feed wolves
Feeding wolves endangers you, your fellow community members and the wolves! Take care not to leave meat or seafood scraps out near your home or in your compost pile. Dispose of these responsibly; dig into a pit or feed to the crabs.
Do not feed deer or raccoons
They are prey species of wolves. Food conditioned deer and raccoons attract wolves to your doorstep as well as to the doorsteps of your neighbours. Be responsible to yourself and your community.
Keep yourself safe
When you encounter wolves in a residential area, (i.e. near your home, your neighbour’s, the community halls, stores, schools etc.) wave your arms to make yourself look bigger, shout loudly and use noisemakers. Let the wolves know that they need to respect you and you will not tolerate their presence in this place!! Use your most aggressive body language; take on the alpha role. Take an airhorn and/or bear spray along as an extra precaution when hiking alone off the beaten track or working the beaches at night.
Keep your pets safe
When walking your dogs, make sure they stay close or use a leash. Unleashed dogs are seen as prey by wolves. Take an airhorn and/or bear spray along as an extra precaution when walking dogs, as dogs are a magnet for wolves. Wolves view all dogs as a territorial threat. Ensure all pets are secured overnight in sturdy, predator proof kennels outside or kept inside your house at night. Keep outside pet feeding areas clean; never leave uneaten food in them. Do not take your dogs with you when hiking in natural areas frequented by wolves i.e. Carrington Bay, Von Donop Inlet, Hank’s Beach, Marina Island, etc.
Practice safe animal care
Ensure all livestock are secured inside sturdy, fenced (min. 6′ high) enclosures by day and predator proof shelters by night. Free-ranging livestock are seen as prey by wolves. If wolves approach livestock during the day, HAZE them; scare them away, shooting over their heads if necessary. After butchering livestock, dispose of carcasses responsibly; buried deeply and ideally well away from residential areas.
Report routine wolf sightings to the FOCI office at 250 935 0087 and report wolf encounters of concern to the COS at 1 877 952 RAPP (7277). As a community, let’s work together and consistently follow these guidelines! We must keep our wolves WILD in order to live together with them.
Special thanks to Sabina Leader-Mense for this helpful advice.
