The solitary wolf that startled visitors to Discovery Island in July is still living the island life but has taken to keeping a low profile, said B.C. Parks area supervisor Joe Benning.
“With the weather colder now, and fewer visitors to Discovery Island and not as many boats out there, we haven’t had many reports since October,” he said.
Benning isn’t overly concerned about the lonely lupine.
“He’s not displayed any aberrant behaviour, and is basically behaving like a good wolf, that’s for sure,” he said.
Benning said the wolf’s diet may be a problem as game is scarce and he suspects that the wolf has been subsisting on seal during his time on the island.
The wolf sightings during the summer led B.C. Parks to briefly restrict human access to Discovery Island during which time officials tried to trap the canny carnivore, but he consistently avoided capture.
“They’re very hard to trap, but we’ll likely go back and try again in the spring, but not because he’s a danger. It’s just better for the wolf,” explained Benning. “There are groups of wolves elsewhere on Vancouver Island and wolves are, by nature, social animals. He’ll be happier and healthier there. It’ll be easier for him to get a date, that’s for sure.”