We had quite the experience out riding in the grazing lease last weekend! It is always somewhat unnerving when a wild animal does not behave in a "normal" manner and this fellow certainly did not! It isn't unusual for a wolf to be very curious and follow, just not quite this closely. Sure did get some great photos though, but the horses were somewhat uneasy about it all which is certainly understandable (we were too! LOL) At least this time there were cameras along to prove what we experienced! Photos taken on Friday July 22 and Saturday July 23. There were four riders on Friday and twelve on Saturday and he still followed closely!
4 comments:
Wow that is a bit disconcerting!!! Its amazing how big they are!!!
Wow!!!
That is strange! Do you sense that it was a wolf-hybride, perhaps domesticated at one point? I just don't see a wolf being that curiosu (a coyote will track and follow horses.) I just hope he was a lone wolf and he wasn't planning an attack with a pack. I've heard the area we ride in is now housing a wolf pack. I don't worry so much about coyotes but wolves make me more nervous (not about attacking me as there are like practically zero recorded attacks of wolves attacking humans) but horses. There is a great wolf education and conservation place in Washington called Wolfhaven. You should check out their site. I have visited them and last year my classroom even "adopted" a wolf. They have a lot of good information about wolves, too.
How unusual , just a pup?Or maybe a pet of someones (I don't thing wolves should be pets but)
This was a young wolf and we suspect he was guarding a kill and did not want us around it. Definitely NOT anyone's pet! We are seeing an increase in displays of a lack of "fear" of the human due to the amount of oil patch and logging workers throwing out lunch scraps. The predators have begun to associate us with food - not a good thing at all. I am very familiar with these animals and their habitat - this was not normal respectful behaviour, I would expect it to follow and be curious but at a good distance away. We generally have several packs in the area which is very uncomfortable and causes us to worry a lot about the safety of our horses, especially the young ones. Wolves have come right into the barnyards/corrals after calves and sheep here. We also have a momma cougar with 4 cubs in the area at the moment, also makes me nervous! Especially since that one killed my foal right in sight of the house.....
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