Summer Safety for Wolves and Humans

Discuss wolves. (News, sightings, conservation, status, etc.)

Moderators: Isela, Koa

Post Reply
User avatar
king1-7
Sub-adult Wolf
Sub-adult Wolf
Posts: 712
Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2007 5:16 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Eagerly awaiting Slough Creek

Summer Safety for Wolves and Humans

Post by king1-7 » Tue May 19, 2009 2:29 pm

Summer Safety for Wolves and Humans

Jess Edberg, Information Services Director -- International Wolf Center, 05/19/2009

For many people in the United States, living with wolves is not an issue. However, with the summer season upon us, many families and individuals will be packing up their gear and going on vacation. For those who have chosen a destination where wolf populations thrive, such as Yellowstone National Park, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness or Denali National Park, there are a few rules of etiquette to remember when enjoying life in wolf country.

Wolves are generally shy and tend to avoid humans. However, wolves can lose their fear of humans through habituation. Habituation occurs when an animal changes its behavior as a result of a stimulus or lack of one. For example, when someone suspends a bird feeder outside their kitchen window, the birds seeking the food are at first wary, but over time the birds grow accustomed to activity in the house and learn to tolerate the activity in exchange for free food. This change in behavior can also occur with wolves and can increase the possibility for conflict between wolves and humans.

Living in Wolf Country
Whether at home or vacationing at a cabin, it is important to be aware that your activities can influence wolf behavior. Human or pet food and garbage can attract wolves, which is why all pets should be fed indoors and their food stored indoors as well. Garbage should be disposed of in cans with secure lids or kept in a secure location such as a garage or shed.

Feeding of other wildlife can also attract wolves. Deer or elk feeding, for example, can cause those prey animals to congregate in areas near human activity, attracting wolves to those areas. Additionally, if you hang birdseed or suet feeders, make sure to suspend them at least seven feet above the surface of the ground (or the snow in the winter).

Pets may also attract wolves. Dogs and cats can make easy targets for wolves and should always be supervised outdoors. If pets must be kept outdoors while you are away, keep them in a kennel with a secure top. Many vacation destinations provide a kennel service for visitors or have information on local kennel facilities to house your pet while you are sightseeing.

Camping in Wolf Country
For many, seeing wildlife on a camping trip is a special treat. To keep wild animals at a safe distance and avoid habituation, it is important to maintain a clean campsite. Cook, wash dishes and store food away from your sleeping area. Food, toiletries, garbage and other strong-smelling items should be suspended out of the reach of any wildlife. If you have leftover food, including the remains of cleaned fish, make sure to dispose of it properly or pack it out. Different recreation areas may have different guidelines on disposing of waste. Always check with the ranger or permit station for these rules prior to your trip.

The campground or recreation area you are camping in may also have rules on pets. Many, including national and state parks, require pets to be on a leash no longer than six feet. If there is not a leash law, it is always a good idea to keep your pets near you and under control at all times in wolf country.

Watching Wolves
Most people will never see a wolf, let alone have a conflict with one, but if you should see one in the wild, you should use caution when they are close. Like any wild animal, wolves are unpredictable, especially when they feel threatened. Wolves should never be offered food or enticed to come closer and should never be approached. Such behaviors begin the process of habituation.

It is always prudent to give wildlife at least 300 feet of space and an escape route. If a wolf seems curious and approaches within 300 feet, make noise and/or throw objects toward the wolf. These actions should frighten the wolf and reinforce avoidance behavior toward humans.

A habituated wolf may act fearlessly (approach humans at a close distance without fear) or aggressively (growl or snarl). If you encounter a wolf that appears habituated, raise your arms and wave them in the air to make yourself look larger, and make noise and/or throw objects at the wolf. When moving away, face the wolf and back away slowly.

You should always report a habituated wolf to the local game warden, park or campground personnel or other local wildlife officials immediately.

Keeping It in Perspective
Most wolves are not dangerous to humans, and there is a greater chance of being killed by lightning, bee sting or car collision with a deer than being injured by a wolf. However, like bears and cougars, wolves are instinctive predators that can be unpredictable. Wolves may lose their natural shyness when they approach people, homes or cars looking for food and receive no discouragement. These bold, or habituated, wolves often must be killed to preempt them from harming humans. The relatively few documented cases of wolves injuring humans in North America involve wolves that became fearless of humans due to habituation.

It is the responsibility of humans to act appropriately when enjoying nature so as not to habituate wildlife. Wolves and other wildlife have strong instincts to survive that may take advantage of our carelessness with our trash, pets or food.

Source:
http://www.wolf.org/wolves/news/live_ne ... sp?id=4105


If any of you are planning on taking a vacation in an area that has a local wolf population, reading this guide will explain to you how you should act upon encountering wolves.
Rest in peace, sisters Lakota and Mackenzie

Avvie by me

User avatar
pawnee
Former WQ Moderator
Posts: 2483
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2007 4:05 pm
Location: the far north
Contact:

Re: Summer Safety for Wolves and Humans

Post by pawnee » Sat May 23, 2009 8:01 am

I got the email too :D

but I couldn't view it because of the web policy thingy at work....:p

Thanks King! I was searching for this! :mrgreen:
My Wolf Art http://pawnee.deviantart.com/
Its Not the Size of the dog in the fight, Its the size of the fight in the dog-Mark Twain

Post Reply