Mar 16 2008
Living with wolves
Living with Wolves
Tips for avoiding conflicts:
Wolves are shy and generally avoid humans. Most people will never see a wolf, let alone
have a conflict with one. Wolves can, however, lose their fear of humans through habituation and may approach camping areas, homes or humans. When this happens, there is an increased possibility for conflict between wolves and humans. Below are guidelines that you can follow to
decrease the chance of wolf habituation and conflict while living and visiting wolf country.
Living in wolf country:Do not feed wolves.
Feed all pets indoors; leave no food outdoors.
Dispose of all food and garbage in cans with
secure lids.
Do not feed wildlife: attracting any prey
animal may attract wolves.
Hang suet feeders at least 7 feet above the surface of the ground or snow.
Don’t leave pets unattended outside: dogs and cats are easy targets for wolves.
If pets must be unattended in the yard, keep them in a kennel with a secure top.
Install motion sensor lights, as they may help keep wolves away.
Camping in wolf country:
Cook, wash dishes and store food away
from sleeping areas.Pack out or dispose of garbage and leftover food properly. Watching wolves in wolf country: While seeing a wolf is a memorable experience, like any other wild animal, you should use caution when they are close. Keep the following things in mind while you are viewing them:
Do not feed wolves.
Do not entice wolves to come closer.
Do not approach wolves.
Leave room for a wolf to escape.
Do not allow a wolf to approach any
closer than 300 feet.
Aggressive or fearless wolves
in wolf country:
If a wolf acts aggressively (growls or snarls)
or fearlessly (approaches humans at a close
distance without fear) take the following actions:1
Raise your arms and wave them in the air
to make yourself look larger.
Back away slowly; do not turn your
back on the wolf.
Make noise and throw objects at the wolf.
It is important to keep wolf attacks in perspective.
There has never been a documented case of a
healthy, wild wolf killing a person in North
America. 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.
The injuries that have occurred were caused
by a few wolves that became fearless of humans
due to habituation. Nonetheless, like bears and
cougars, wolves are instinctive predators that
should be kept wild and respected.
Suspend food, toiletries and garbage
out of reach of any wildlife.
Keep pets near you at all times.
From International Wolf Center
