Article/Valerius Geist Professor Emeritus of Environmental Science, the University of Calgary
SOME INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE IN AREAS WHERE WOLVES HAVE BECOME COMMON
On November the 8th, 2005, a 22-year-old third-year geological engineering student at the University of Waterloo by the name of Kenton Joel Carnegie, was killed by four wolves at Points North Landing, Wollaston Lake area, in northern Saskatchewan. This case is unique in that it is the first direct human fatality from a wolf attack in North America in recent times. There have been people bitten by rabid wolves and killed, but such kills “do not count” as it is the rabies virus, not the wolf-bite that killed.
Fresh snow allowed accurate track reading. Mr. Carnegie was by himself when he was approached by the wolves from behind. He fell three times before failing to rise. There have been other attacks in Canada, historical and recent. Mr. Fred Desjarlais was recently attacked and wounded by a wolf in Northern Saskatchewan. There are also unreported recent attacks by wolves in Saskatchewan, one of which I was informed on in some detail. A local rancher was attacked by three wolves while deer hunting. He killed two.
We are aware that the four wolves in question had been observed and photographed by others, and that Mr. Carnegie was aware of this. Unfortunately, neither he nor those who discussed the matter with him, as reported on by the Saskatoon Star phoenix of Nov. 14th 2005, were aware that tame and inquisitive wolves are a signal of danger. Consequently, the first requirement is that the general public, but especially out-doors-men be informed that when they see tame, inquisitive wolves, that they get out of there quick, but without undue haste, while being prepared to defend themselves. Running away invites an attack.
Why are tame and inquisitive wolves a sign of danger?
When wolves are well-fed, they are – extremely – shy, and avoid humans. In my days in the northern wilderness I have seen wolves panic repeatedly when they crossed my track or got my scent. We have other observations indicating that wolves are normally very cautious. However, when wolves run out of their preferred prey, they begin to explore alternative prey. They do so very cautiously, and over an extended time period. This exp****tion for an alternative food is manifest in wolves becoming – increasingly - tame and inquisitive. My neighbors, my wife and I have had experiences in recent years with one wolf pack which ran out of prey and shifted its attention onto farms and suburbs. I have been investigated three times in the open by wolves, the same wolves threatened my wife twice, once on our door step, the same wolves attacked and killed neighbor dogs, followed riders and “nibbled at” and killed livestock. They explored my neighbor’s dairy cows by docking tails, slashing ears and cutting hocks. Other Vancouver Island wolves went on to explore humans by licked, nipping and tearing clothing (in a camp site on Vargas Island near Tofino) weeks before attacking and severely wounding a camper, Scott Lavigne, July 2nd, 2000. He was saved from the attack by fellow campers Jim Beatty, Vancouver Sun pp. A1-2, July 5th 2000). The bottom line is, when wolves appear tame, stare at you and follow you they are investigating you - and it’s quite likely with lunch in mind.
A confounding factor is refuse about human habitations. Wolves drawn by hunger due to declining natural prey to human habitations, inevitably, run into garbage and refuse. Feeding on such can become a habit which leads to the habituation of wolves to people. Such wolves may not be particularly hungry when they extend their exp****tion of alternative foods to humans. Two wolves killed after the attack on the camper on Vargas Island were full of deer fawns. This suggests that habituated wolves my attack without being hungry. The bottom line: tame and inquisitive wolves are dangerous no matter how they became tame and inquisitive.
The argument, that there is little danger from wolves because they have rarely attacked humans in North America, is fallacious. There are very good reasons why wolves in North America, as opposed to Europe, have attacked people rarely. In the past decades we have experienced in North America a unique situation: we had a recovery of wildlife. Few North Americans are aware today that a century ago North America’s wildlife was largely decimated and that it took a lot of effort to bring wildlife back. This restoration of North America’s wildlife, and thus this continent’s bio diversity, is probably the greatest environmental success story of the 20th Century. Such a recovery begins with an increase in herbivores. It is followed after a lag-time by an increase in predators. While predators are scarce, and herbivores are abundant, wolves are well fed. Consequently they are very large in body size, but also very shy of people. We expect to see then no tame or inquisitive wolves. Wolves are seen rarely under such conditions, fostering the romantic image of wolves so prevalent in North America today. However, when herbivore numbers decline while wolf numbers rise, we expect wolves to disperse and begin exploring for new prey. That’s when tame, inquisitive wolves appear.