The City of Yellowknife just had a close encounter with a four-legged neighbour.
Over the weekend, several Yellowknife residents spotted a wild animal roaming around the streets in the Northland/Frame Lake area. Some discussion was sparked online on whether or not the animal was a coyote, or just a small wolf. Julian Sabourin, the Renewable Resource Officer for the Department of Environment and Climate Change was able to weigh in on the matter and declared that the animal was indeed a small wolf.
Around this time of the year, it is common to have wild animals wander in to the City. Sabourin was kind enough to share some advice on what to do if a resident encounters an animal in a location that it shouldn’t be in.
“We live in a remote place, so it’s important to be a little bit prepared. If you’re in Yellowknife or your out and about on the land, I would say travel in groups, especially when it gets dark. If you’re walking with pets, make sure to keep them leashed, and ultimately, if you do have an encounter with wildlife, you’re going to want to make yourself appear big. You’re going to want to put your arms up in the air, you’re going to want to speak loudly and confidently. If the animal continues advancing towards you, that’s where you’ll want to escalate things a little bit and get aggressive. If you have any objects on you that you can throw, try throwing them at the animal. Most importantly, don’t ever run.”
In the event that a person is stuck inside their home or vehicle with dangerous animals outside, Sabourin says to simply stay inside, where one is already protected. Keep tabs on the animals through the windows, make noise to scare them away if possible, and simply wait for them to move on.
Any animal presence in a residential area should be reported to Yellowknife Environment and Climate Change. The North Slave Wildlife Line can be contacted at 867-446-2073.
