This wolf was spotted at the lagoon near Bell's Point. (Facebook)

By Derek Cornet

wildlife

Wolves spotted near La Ronge in recent days

Jan 17, 2023 | 5:25 PM

Wolf sighting by residents of the tri-communities in recent days have put some on edge, but according to wildlife biologist Matthew Tokaruk, physical contact between wolves and people are exceptionally rare.

“As I understand it, the conservation officers have been made aware of those sightings on Facebook and they are encouraging the public to call them directly with some of those sightings, so they can respond as needed,” he said. “There hasn’t been as many direct calls as they would like.”

No action is currently being taken by the Ministry of Environment, but conservation officers are aware of sightings near Kitsaki Island and another on the outskirts of the community. Tokaruk noted wolves moving through the area isn’t an unusual situation as they have been known to do so on occasion.

He added the hope is that it’s just a pack passing through the area, but he mentioned precautions should still be taken like securing garbage containers and not leaving pet food outside. It is also illegal to feed wildlife such as wolves, bears, cougars and coyotes.

“A lot of our attractant information is the same for bears,” Tokaruk said. “Wolves can certainly visit garbage cans or people’s back decks for dog food. It’s more rare than for bears, but it can happen and they can become habituated. It is really important that community members and members of the public do keep their yards free of those food items and attractants and that will certainly help the situation as well.”

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Wolves are common throughout northern and central Saskatchewan and they do tend to have a large home range. Tokaruk mentioned the wolf population is stable and occasionally there are concerns from communities about the animals.

If one should encounter a wolf, Tokaruk advises to practice cautious respect. That means don’t turn and run or turn your back, make yourself look big, keep your eyes on the animal, stay standing, be observant, and if there is an open area you can move to, move to that area. People are advised to slowly back away to a safe area and the wolf will likely lose interest and leave.

“In the exceptionally rare occurrence that a wolf would make contact with a person physically … then of course do fight back with everything you’ve got,” he said. “But that’s exceptionally rare.”

In an emergency with a wolf, residents should call 911 on their cellphone. They can also call the Turn in Poachers and Polluters line at 1-800-667-7561. For question or concerns about a nuisance wolf or wildlife in the area, contact the general inquiry line at 1-800-567-4224.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno