A mature wolf found dead in Dutch Creek-Findlay Creek. Photo submitted
A suspicious wolf fatality in the Dutch Creek-Findlay Creek has conservation issuing a further warning to recreational users of the area to watch for strychnine poison. Conservation had issued a warning after the poison was found in the area in early march. The poison is a fatally toxic colourless crystalline powder that was found in white cupcake wrappers.
Conservation responded to a call on Monday, April 10th to the area after a concerned member of the community had discovered the animal. The carcass of a mature wolf was found dead around 2 kilometres from the site in which conservation had discovered the strychnine.
We attended and confirmed that it was a mature wolf that was dead there was no signs on this wolf that it had been shot or hit by a vehicle so we collocated the carcass it is going to be necropsy by our provincial wildlife veterinarian, said Conservation Officer Greg Kruger. Just to see if she can make any determination to cause of death and if that’s not the case that it died of another cause other than poison then we will send samples of that wolf to a laboratory to do poison testing on it.
Due to suspicious activity that has been going on in the area poisoning could be the probable cause of death but will not be confirmed until veterinarian testing is complete in May. Conservation officers searched the area around the wolf but were unable to find any signs of poison.
It wasn’t in the immediate area where we found the poison but it is in the same general vicinity. Like I said earlier there’s a high likely hood there’s more poison in there than we’ve found, said Mr. Kruger.
Mr. Kruger was unable to confirm if the deceased wolf was traveling alone or was with others at the time of its death.
Where this was it had snowed the night before on Sunday, the 9th we got that little bit of snow so this wolf is lying in the snow. So it was to the west enough just at the base of the mountain that the snow is both older snow that hasn’t melted and new snow so in that immediate area no there were no other wolf tracks, said Mr. Kruger.
Conservation is still concerned that the public is still at risk when in the Dutch Creek- Findlay Creek area especially those with domestic dogs.
We’re still concerned that there’s more poison in there and the public may be at risk especially those people that would go into that area with their domestic dog that’s the highest risk. A domestic dog running at large in there is at high risk that there may be other poison if their dog comes across it and ingest it they’re going to be in danger, said Mr. Kruger.
If anyone is to find a dead animal in the area they are asked to report it to conservation so they can have poison testing done on the carcass. When reporting the location of the animal the best is to have clear directions or even GPS coordinates.
It’s still an ongoing investigation any information leading to information on an individual responsible would be very appreciated people can remain anonymous with their reporting and are eligible for an award, said Mr. Kruger.
Anybody with any information about the incident or potential suspects to call the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) hotline at 1 877 952 7277.
