Posted on 12/21/2005 4:31:30 PM PST by SJackson
INVESTIGATION: Officials are investigating whether a Canadian man was killed by wolves that he may have been feeding.
Scientists and wildlife officials are investigating what appears to be the first documented case of healthy wolves killing a human in North America. The attack took place in November at Points North Landing near Wollaston Lake, Saskatchewan. The body of 22-year-old Kenton Joel Carnegie was found Nov. 8. Officials say the Oshawa, Ontario, man appeared to have been attacked by four wolves that had been eating garbage in the area for some time and likely had lost their fear of people. There's some indication that Carnegie and others had been interacting with the wolves at close range, possibly feeding the animals, said Paul Paquet, a Canadian wolf expert conducting the investigation into the attack. The fact the wolves were being fed in a developed area makes it less noteworthy than if the attack had been by truly wild wolves, experts said. Carnegie was a geology student who was in the area as part of his studies. The former wilderness area is a hotbed for uranium mining, as well as gold and diamond exploration. At least two wolves suspected in the attack have been shot, and an examination by Paquet found cloth, hair and flesh in the large intestine that resembled human remains. A final report on the attack is expected by mid-January, Paquet said. "There's an indication the wolves were eating at garbage dumps as well as being fed by people directly," Paquet said Friday. It's not unheard of for wolves to attack people, but the animals usually are fought off or run away when they realize they've attacked a person. Researchers had been unable to find a case where a person died from a wolf attack. Minnesota has about 2,500 wolves in the northern half of the state. The northern third of the state has some of the highest wolf densities in the world, partly because wolves thrive on the abundant deer, which are easier to kill than moose, their primary food in most areas. Wisconsin and Michigan each have about 250 wolves. Wolves occasionally are seen in developed areas in the Northland, even within Duluth city limits, but usually flee if people are near. The animals remain fully protected in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, although federal trappers kill dozens of wolves each year in Minnesota near where livestock have been attacked. Walter Medwed, executive director of the Ely-based International Wolf Center, said the attack shows the need for people to keep their distance from all wild animals. "We have more wolves now, and we have more people moving into wolf range, into the woods, so there's going to be more interaction," Medwed said. "The lesson here is to not interact with any wild animals, bears, wolves, coyotes, even raccoons. Give them their space and leave them alone, and they will usually leave us alone." Medwed and others are concerned that some people will use the Saskatchewan attack as a reason to relax wolf protections or to illegally shoot or trap wolves. "If people just read the headline and don't see the real story, don't see the wolves involved were habituated to humans and used to eating garbage, I'm afraid they might use this as an excuse to villain-ize wolves," Medwed said. "The reality of anyone being hurt by wolves is infinitesimal."
Paragraphs are our friends.
Another Darwin award winner.
Sounds like good advice.
A hint to our "eco" conscious friends; "wild" animals are wild.
The attack took place in November at Points North Landing near Wollaston Lake, Saskatchewan. The body of 22-year-old Kenton Joel Carnegie was found Nov. 8. Officials say the Oshawa, Ontario, man appeared to have been attacked by four wolves that had been eating garbage in the area for some time and likely had lost their fear of people.
There's some indication that Carnegie and others had been interacting with the wolves at close range, possibly feeding the animals, said Paul Paquet, a Canadian wolf expert conducting the investigation into the attack. The fact the wolves were being fed in a developed area makes it less noteworthy than if the attack had been by truly wild wolves, experts said. Carnegie was a geology student who was in the area as part of his studies.
The former wilderness area is a hotbed for uranium mining, as well as gold and diamond exploration. At least two wolves suspected in the attack have been shot, and an examination by Paquet found cloth, hair and flesh in the large intestine that resembled human remains. A final report on the attack is expected by mid-January, Paquet said. "There's an indication the wolves were eating at garbage dumps as well as being fed by people directly," Paquet said Friday.
It's not unheard of for wolves to attack people, but the animals usually are fought off or run away when they realize they've attacked a person. Researchers had been unable to find a case where a person died from a wolf attack. Minnesota has about 2,500 wolves in the northern half of the state. The northern third of the state has some of the highest wolf densities in the world, partly because wolves thrive on the abundant deer, which are easier to kill than moose, their primary food in most areas. Wisconsin and Michigan each have about 250 wolves.
Wolves occasionally are seen in developed areas in the Northland, even within Duluth city limits, but usually flee if people are near. The animals remain fully protected in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, although federal trappers kill dozens of wolves each year in Minnesota near where livestock have been attacked.
Walter Medwed, executive director of the Ely-based International Wolf Center, said the attack shows the need for people to keep their distance from all wild animals. "We have more wolves now, and we have more people moving into wolf range, into the woods, so there's going to be more interaction," Medwed said. "The lesson here is to not interact with any wild animals, bears, wolves, coyotes, even raccoons. Give them their space and leave them alone, and they will usually leave us alone."
Medwed and others are concerned that some people will use the Saskatchewan attack as a reason to relax wolf protections or to illegally shoot or trap wolves. "If people just read the headline and don't see the real story, don't see the wolves involved were habituated to humans and used to eating garbage, I'm afraid they might use this as an excuse to villain-ize wolves," Medwed said. "The reality of anyone being hurt by wolves is infinitesimal."
It all happened so fast.
This wouldn't surprise me, but I don't fault the wolves. I fault the idiot feeding them. Just like that 'friend of the Bears' guy that got himself mauled to death in Alaska a couple years ago - another Darwin Award finalist.
If you look for trouble, you'll usually find it.
I think in this case it was intestinal. The chance of being hit by lightening is infinitesimal but I don't walk around in a thunderstorm with an iron rod sticking up in the air.
I guess he didn't want to waste any paragraphs.
Crazy people feeding them cause them to lose their fear of man and start to see people as a food source
That whole argument depends a great deal on what you consider "documented." If certain eco-enthusiasts don't see a signed confession with a pawprint at the bottom, it doesn't count.
Now I'm off to commune with nature. I like to swim around feeding the sharks from a bucket. They think I'm one of them...
I've never understood why some people believe a carnivore won't attack a man. I realize that many carnivores have learned to avoid man, but the eco-nuts believe wolves, etc are just too virtuous to hurt a man. Stupid. The only thing that distinguishes us from other prey is our ability to fight back with guns. And, some suspect, that our flesh doesn't taste very good.
Ancient history. Like cougar, as their lose their fear of human predation, incidents will go up.
BTW, if Wisconsin has only 250 wolves, with probably a quarter in the Necedah area, why do they bother to close the northern HALF of the state to coyote hunting during deer season. There wouldn't be enough to mistake for coyotes to worry about.
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