Wolf kills man?

[powderburn]

Wolf attack likely killed man, police say
Last Updated Nov 10 2005 01:34 PM CST
CBC News
It was likely wolves that killed an Ontario man in northern Saskatchewan earlier this week, the RCMP says.

The body of the 22-year-old man was found at Points North Landing near Wollaston Lake two days ago. The community is about 450 kilometres northeast of La Ronge.

An autopsy indicated he was likely killed by animals, according to RCMP spokesperson Heather Russell.

"All of the injuries discovered in the autopsy are consistent with animal bites. But you can't completely rule everything out until the investigation is complete," she said.

Russell said the autopsy hasn't confirmed what sort of animals attacked the man, but noted wolves have been sighted in the area and there were tracks – believed to be wolf tracks – around the body.

It was likely those animals that killed him, she said.

The RCMP haven't released the name of the victim. He was from Oshawa.

If it's confirmed that wolves killed the man, it would be the first time in recent history that's happened in North America.

A 2002 study of wolf attacks in Alaska and Canada done by the Alaska Fish and Game Department found no examples of human deaths attributed to wolf attacks for more than 100 years.

Wayne Galloway, a veteran outfitter in northern Saskatchewan, said he wouldn't be at all surprised if wolves attacked and killed a human.

He said in recent years, he's seen an increase in wolf numbers and a decrease in the wildlife they prey on.

"They're a predator and I guess if man happens to be something that they'll take a pass at, they'll do it," he said.

 

[Elkhunter]

Let us know if you heare any more on this.

 

[powderburn]

Kill wolves if necessary, conservation officers told
Last Updated Nov 14 2005 02:58 PM CST
CBC News
Conservation officers looking into a possible wolf attack in northern Saskatchewan have been given permission to kill the suspected animals if necessary.

That follows the discovery last Wednesday of a 22-year-old man from Oshawa who died in a wooded area at Points North Landing.

The victim has been identified as Kenton Joel Carnegie, a third-year geological engineering student at the University of Waterloo who was at the remote mining camp as part of his fall term co-op job.

Following an autopsy, RCMP said they couldn't say for certain he had been killed by wolves, but it's "likely" that's what happened.

A funeral service for Carnegie was held in Oshawa on Monday.

Tim Trottier, a wildlife biologist with the Environmental Department, said last week two conservation officers were sent to the area, about 450 kilometres northeast of La Ronge, to investigate.

Because it's suspected that wolves attacked a person, department staff will be taking "a very cautious approach," he said.

"We know that there were four wolves in the area … that had been in that area for some time and had been showing some signs of being unafraid of people," he said.

"If they show any signs of aggression – unwarranted signs of aggression – our department has given permission to destroy those animals."

Trottier said there's not a documented case in North America of wolves killing a human and he was surprised about media reports that said an animal attack is considered the likely cause of death.

"I've never heard of something quite like this before," he said, adding that wolves fear humans and tend to avoid them.

University of Calgary professor Valerius Geist sees things differently. The environmental scientist says low numbers of the wildlife wolves prey on have been accompanied by an increase in the wolf population.

The combination of those factors can be fatal for humans, he said.

"When you find that wolves are not running away but on the contrary, looking at them, beginning to follow them, it's a very, very bad sign," he said. "It's a dangerous sign, because the wolves are looking at them as potential lunch."

 

[danr55]

If that proves to be true that wolves killed that man, I believe it will be the first documented account of wolves attacking and killing a human.