By Luke Simcoe
After a wolf pack was spotted nonchalantly lounging by the side of the road outside Tofino, wildlife officials are asking residents to be mindful of how they interact with their animal neighbours.
Parks Canada officials said the wolves recently moved into Pacific Rim National Park, between Ucluelet and Tofino.
“We detected a new group of five animals on our cameras in November,” said Todd Windle, a human-wildlife conflict expert with Parks Canada. “We still don’t know whether they’ll establish themselves in the area, displace our existing pack, or join up with them.”
Windle says the park’s resident wolf pack — a trio that’s been in the area for some time — keep their distance from humans. However, the newcomers are different.
Earlier this month, parks officials found a member of the public admiring the wolves while they sat on one of the park’s deactivated service roads.
“They were very close to the main road, maybe 50 or 60 metres away,” Windle said. “And they weren’t showing any signs of nervousness or fear of people.”
That last part is cause for concern. Windle and his colleagues know very little about the new pack’s history, but are worried the animals may be “heading down the path of habituation.”
So far, Parks Canada has not put out a warning about the animals, but if the wolves become too comfortable around humans, they may need to killed.
“Their natural wariness of people keeps them safe,” Windle said. “If they start approaching people, it can lead to conflicts.”
Windle stressed that it’s “everyone’s job” to prevent animals from becoming habituated. While people may not think twice about observing wolves from the side of the road, or waiting a few extra seconds to get that perfect picture, he said those interactions add up over time.
“That wolf might have a similar interaction with someone the next day, and the week after that, and before you know it, the animals learn that people aren’t scary or dangerous,” he said.
Windle said one of the best ways to avoid interactions with wild animals is to make sure your dog is always on a leash.
“There’s nothing we can think of that is more likely to bring you into conflict with a large predator than having a free-roaming dog,” he said.
Anyone who spots wolves or other predators is asked to contact Parks Canada’s 24-hour reporting line at 1.877.852.3100.