A growing number of attacks on family pets by wolves has prompted the community of Ahousaht to take action.
A community meeting was held March 11 bringing together elected leadership, elders, hunters and concerned parents. It was decided that the community may impose a curfew on the children until the dangerous wolves are dealt with. Local hunters hope to cull the two wolves that have been taking dogs.
One daylight attack of a wolf on dogs was captured on video and aired on news networks in early March. The video shows a large wolf pinning down, then carrying away a young dog by its neck as two more dogs lunge helplessly at the wolf. The dog eventually escaped with minor injuries.
Wolves have been seen running in and around the community for several months. According to Chief Councillor Curtis Dick, they are culturally important to Ahousaht and they’ve been able to live side-by-side for as long as anyone can remember.
But for some reason the wolves have been targeting dogs rather than their normal wild food sources and this concerns the people.
“There’s been a lot of speculation about why the wolves’ behaviour has changed,” Dick said. Some say it’s because the garbage dump is gone, disrupting the food chain that was in place for a couple of decades; others say maybe somebody is feeding the wolves.
Nobody knows for sure, but what they do know is that there are fewer and fewer dogs and nobody wants to see children being targeted next.
“We have 230 students going to school from all over the community,” said Dick, and their safety is of utmost importance.
Ahousaht chief and council have been keeping in close contact with Conservation officers and the RCMP.
Chief Dick said a pack of about four or five wolves are near the community, but only one or two of them are attacking dogs.
In late February, the remains of a dog, the hind end, were found on a popular beach. Late last year a wolf was seen taking a small dog.
If the wolves are habituated, meaning they’ve lost their natural fear of humans, or if they are food conditioned, meaning they expect food rewards from humans, they become a danger to humans.
Another major concern is a recent outbreak of the highly contagious canine parvovirus among the dogs in Ahousaht. The disease spreads quickly and the mortality rate can be 91 per cent without veterinary treatment.
According to Chief Dick, canine parvovirus could spread to the wolf pack.
The important thing, Chief Dick said, is that they need to stop the danger before it is too late.
Conservation officers are in Ahousaht. Chief Dick said they are putting together an education package to teach the school children about wolves and other wildlife.
