Basic Tips For Living With Wolves Safely

Here’s how you can avoid conflicts when Living with Wolves or near wolf territory.

Living or camping in wolf country can sometimes be dangerous – after all, wolves are territorial animals. Fortunately, for the most part, wolves keep to themselves and will not approach people.

However, wolves can become emboldened after getting used to human presence. Another common problem is carelessness on the part of humans. Actually, the majority of wolf-human conflict could be avoided by remembering some basic points when living with wolves. Or close to wolf territory

There are many precautions one can take to keep these conflicts from happening, many of which we’ll discuss below. By the end of this post, you’ll see that living with wolves is much less threatening than you think!

Basic Tips For Living With Wolves Safely

1) Be Careful With Food

As you might expect, one of the main culprits when it comes to attracting wolves is food. One thing you should never do is feed a wolf. If you do that, they will be encouraged to come back for more.

You should never feed any local wildlife, actually: you may think it’s alright to feed a deer, for instance, but this will just attract that deer (and perhaps more) and thereby attract wolves looking for prey. Never leave food of any kind outside! When you have to dispose of food waste in outside garbage cans, ensure that the lids are closed tightly to keep the scent from escaping and bringing unwanted visitors.

Pet food should not be forgotten outside. If camping, it’s a good idea to store food as well as cook away from where you’re sleeping.

2) Be Extra Careful With Livestock

Wild wolves are particularly attracted to livestock as most animal farmers already know. This issue is a constant source of conflict between people and human beings. In fact, more wolves have probably died worldwide from livestock-related deaths alone than any other single factor.

As much as possible, bring your livestock and any other household animals into barns or sheds at night. Also try using guard animals that can quickly warn you about the presence of wolves near your property.

Remember that killing wolves in retaliation for losing livestock is hardly a sustainable solution. Instead, if wolves do kill your farm  animals find out if you are entitled to some compensation.

Other things like the smell of rotting carcass will also attract wolves so ensure you dispose of any dead animals properly.

3) Take Care Of Your Pets

Pets are another big factor that can attract wolves to your property or camping site. Dogs especially, due to their close relation with wolves, will be taken as a territorial threat. If you live in wolf country, be sure that your pets are kept indoors at all times unless attended.

Even when attended, you don’t want to let them outside at night since wolves are nocturnal.

If you’re out camping with pets, always keep them in your sight – you don’t want them wandering off and attracting wolves or getting hurt.

 Keep your distance and most times the wolf will be happy to leave you alone.

4) Making Your Property Wolf-Proof

Additionally, you could install motion sensor lights and flashing lights around your property, or even noisemakers; these will scare the wolves away.

If you have the time and resources, a fence about two meters in height, which extends around 20 centimeters underground (so that the wolves can not dig under it) can also be beneficial.

5) What To Do In A Confrontation

If you follow the advice above, you will most likely never have a confrontation with a wolf. However, if push comes to shove and a wolf is behaving aggressively towards you, the first step is to do your best not to panic.

• Do not run or turn your back to the wolf, as this will just cause the wolf to pursue you.
• You should maintain direct eye contact and act somewhat threateningly by making loud noises or snarling at the wolf.
• Make yourself appear larger and more threatening by extending your arms above you. You can even throw objects at the wolf.
• Otherwise, if the wolf is pursuing you (unlikely to happen if you back away slowly and follow the steps just listed) and you are unarmed, you can climb a tree as wolves won’t be able to follow you.