Carl Clutchey
When Maria Salazar was growing up in Lima, Peru’s capital city of 10 million people, the likelihood of encountering a wild animal up close was slim indeed.
It was a different story Tuesday night when Salazar nearly came nose-to-nose with a wolf as she was heading home from work on the outskirts of Chapleau.
“It was a beautiful, tall, black animal, and it never stopped looking at me,” Salazar, who is principal at Chapleau’s Our Lady of Fatima elementary school, recalled Wednesday.
She first spotted the wolf around 7 p.m. while walking to her SUV after finishing paperwork at the school, located near the bush on the top of a hill.
“I have a little flashlight and I could see the reflection in its eyes,” she said.
Separated from the animal by a high chain fence, Salazar thought she might make it to her vehicle before the wolf did.
But the wolf was quick, and at one point was just a few metres from Salazar. She beat a hasty retreat to the school in panic, managing to spook the animal by banging a shovel on a sand box.
“I kept thinking: ‘Don’t fall down, or you’re dead,’” said Salazar, 55.
When she got back inside the school, she called police.
A patrol officer drove the around the school grounds to check for the wolf.
“I was just shaking,” she said. “The officer contacted me on the loudspeaker: ‘It’s OK, Maria, you can come out now.”
Salazar cancelled outdoor recess Wednesday and notified parents whose children walk to school not to come before daybreak.
It’s not the first time wolves have been spotted in the town, located near a provincial wildlife nature reserve.
But locals have been spooked by the boldness of the animals and police are advising people not to put garbage out at night.
Police also noted that some people have apparently put food out for the animals, presumably so they can take pictures.
Chapleau Mayor Andre Byham, who has lived in the town for nearly 40 years, said it’s not unusual to see wolves in town in a year when there’s a lot of snow.
Deep snow makes it more difficult for wolves to hunt moose and other animals, Byham noted.
“If they’re starving, they might be looking for garbage,” he said.
Byham said he wasn’t aware of any special measures the municipality was taking in wake of the increased number of sightings.
A staffer at town hall said police were taking care of the situation.
“Please use caution when out during the evening and night time hours,” said an OPP bulletin.
“Don’t leave small pets unattended outside. The OPP will respond to emergency calls about wild animals if there is an immediate threat to the public.”