VANCOUVER — Parks Canada says staff in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on Vancouver Island have killed a wolf that was becoming increasingly aggressive.
A statement from Parks Canada says the wolf was euthanized on May 28 after being involved in a number of recent incidents, including two attacks on leashed dogs in the Long Beach area, south of Tofino.
A notice was issued last November, warning of an increase in wolf activity in the park.
Since then, staff had stepped up efforts to monitor and chase the problem wolf away, banned dogs in some areas of the park and increased public education in hopes of stopping the confrontations.
Parks Canada says the wolf continued to view dogs as prey, in part because of human carelessness or the violation of park rules that undermined its natural wary behaviours.
Staff will now try to rebuild those behaviours in the remaining members of the wolf pack to prevent more bad habits from forming, Parks Canada says in its release.
"This event was taken after serious consideration and was a very difficult decision for Parks Canada staff, who work hard to protect these animals. In the end, it was a necessary action to ensure visitor safety."
Visitors to the park are reminded that in order to keep wildlife wild, dogs must stay on a leash, there is to be no food or garbage left in the park, and wolves are not to be approached, the release says.
