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The NWT Department of Environment and Climate Change says it received several calls over the weekend regarding a wolf that was seen in Yellowknife.
People posting to Facebook shared reported sightings of a wolf in the Northlands neighbourhood and outside Range Lake North School on Saturday and Sunday.
In an email to Cabin Radio on Monday afternoon, a spokesperson for the environment department said a wolf was also seen on the ice of Great Slave Lake’s Back Bay near Ndılǫ. They said a wildlife officer used bear bangers and a snowmobile to deter the wolf away from the residential area and back into a forested area across the bay.
Wildlife officers will continue to patrol Yellowknife and the surrounding areas, the spokesperson said.
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The department said anyone who sees wildlife that should not be in town, should contact the North Slave wildlife line at 867-444-2073 as soon as possible so that officers can respond quickly.
The department spokesperson warned that wolves have been known to become aggressive toward dogs. They advised people to keep their pets on a leash, even in off-leash areas, and to travel in groups especially if walking after dark.
The department said anyone who comes across a wolf while walking with their dog should bring their pet to a heel, raise their arms to appear as large as possible, and act aggressively toward the wolf by making noise and throwing objects at it. The department added not to turn your back on a wolf or run and not to feed wolves or leave food outdoors including pet food.
