Prince Rupert residents are crying wolf, but this time, it’s not a false alarm.
While wolves are known to roam the outer edges of Prince Rupert, appearing on golf courses and hiking trails, several people have recently spotted one inside the city. One woman was even stalked by it.
Local resident Bonnie Rudderham was walking her dog along the port city’s waterfront last Thursday when she encountered the wolf.
“I look back and there’s a wolf right on the walkway just staring at us,” Rudderham told CBC Radio’s Daybreak North.
But if that weren’t scary enough, when she reached a nearby condo, a woman came out onto her balcony to tell Rudderham that the wolf had been stalking her.
The woman said that the wolf had been on its belly in the grass, crawling toward Rudderham and her dog.
“I thought, ‘I better get out of here,’” Rudderham said. “I started to run with my dog, but the woman on the balcony shouted to stop running. As soon as I stopped, the wolf barrelled down the hill toward us.”
Thankfully, an approaching car scared it away.
Rudderham was shaken from the encounter, but she quickly reported the incident to conservations services. They advised her to carry bear spray.
According to reports, conservation officer Ryan Gordon has fielded about half a dozen calls from people in the area, who have also sent in photos of a wolf. Gordon told CBC News that it appears to be a single wolf roaming the city’s streets. Based on the photos and behaviour, the wolf is believed to be a sub-adult that’s not part of a pack.
Rudderham believes the issue stems from the number of deer in Prince Rupert. She says the wolves are just following their food source.
“There’s so many deer, and it’s just like a banquet.”
