Ucluelet visitor “blessed” by rare encounter with wolf

CHEK

Natasha James videotaped wolf walking with metres of her deck at Ucluelet resort. 

Officials at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve near Ucluelet say dogs are allowed back on Long Beach section of the park again after a one week ban.

Dogs were prohibited after a wolf attack seriously injured a dog last Tuesday.

Meanwhile, an Errington woman is sharing her experience with CHEK News after seeing a wolf up close near a busy resort Sunday. 

A weekend trip to the Black Rock Resort in Ucluelet turned into something extra special for Natasha James Sunday morning when just off her deck, she saw a wolf on the beach.

“And the warning about wolves has been on high alert, no dogs on the beaches and proceed with caution in all areas. Well there’s a wolf, I see him” Natasha James can be heard saying on the video as she recorded the wolf.

“I was just simply sitting on my patio enjoying the tides rolling in and here comes a wolf from my left into my view and he was just strolling the beach just so casual and we made eye contact and he just strolled right off as quickly as he came” James told CHEK News.

Wolves are usually supposed to be elusive creatures so she knew how special the moment was.

“It was incredible, I was just feeling so blessed for the opportunity to see him” she added.

She did become more worried when she saw a family with young children up the beach.

“I did, I saw a young family with two young children across the bay and so it alerted me immediately to call the front desk and let them know and they did call Conservation and they were there within ten minutes but he had already gone away” said James. 

Last week officials at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve were warning visitors with pets and young children to be cautious after two wolf attacks on dogs including one that was even on a leash at the time.

“The reality with our wolves is these packs don’t honour boundaries, these sort of artificial boundaries that we put across the landscape so they’re in the park one day, they’re in the District of Ucluelet the next day” said Renee Wissink, Manager of Resource Conservation at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. 

“I was a little nervous but I was on the safety of my deck so had I been down on the beach I would have definitely been much more alarmed” added James.

She does urge other visitors to be careful but says it’s an experience she’ll never forget.

Dean StoltzDean Stoltz

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