Tourists from all over the world come to experience the wildlife and national parks of British Columbia. While much wildlife can be spotted ethically from afar with binoculars or on viewing cruises, encounters with one particular species have been on the rise there, prompting Parks Canada and the local Indigenous government to get involved.

What's happening?

The Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations are working with Parks Canada to comanage encounters with a mated pair of sea wolves that live in the Long Beach Unit of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, as reported by Victoria Now.

Parks Canada has issued a "Wolves in Area Warning," temporarily closing the former Gold Mine trail and the Wickaninnish Dunes to the public, and a restricted activity order. Anyone who enters, views, or engages within 100 meters (328 feet) of the wolves may be fined up to $25,000.

Sam Rose Phillips, a Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ-based wildlife photographer, has had many unwanted encounters with these wolves and is relieved to see protections in place. 

"Human behavior has put this pair more and more at risk of habituation, and so it should be human behavior that's restricted. We are already familiar with restrictions around species like marine mammals, and I think that coastal wolves deserve the same level of respect," she told Victoria Now.

PRNPR human-wildlife coexistence team lead Todd Windle said that there have been at least 40 encounters last year.

Why is a rise in sea wolf encounters important?

Phillips fears the ramifications, mostly being one-sided against the wolves. "The wolves shouldn't be the ones to pay for our actions — whether that be walking with off-leash dogs, feeding wolves, or photographing them during prolonged encounters," she said. "Without restrictions, some folks actively seek out encounters, further endangering wolves and those who live near them."

Encounters with wildlife have multiple consequences. Wildlife are constantly hunting, posing a threat to both humans and pets. If wildlife choose to harm a human or a pet, they will likely be found by park rangers and put down.

If wildlife do not want to coexist, they might move to another area, causing a shift in the ecosystem's balance. According to the Raincoast Conservation Foundation, sea wolves live on a diet of mostly marine life. If they move to another part of Vancouver Island, they could reduce food availability for other animals and for local Indigenous populations.

What's being done about a rise in sea wolf encounters?

PRNPR is advising visitors and locals to follow the posted signs and to bring appropriate safety gear, including bear spray and an air horn. Visitors are also advised to keep their kids close, keep dogs on leashes, and hike in groups.

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