Parks Canada has lifted a dog ban put in place after a wolf attacked a pet near a beach on western Vancouver Island last week.
The ban was put in place March 23 after a wolf attacked and injured a leashed dog near Wickaninnish Beach, following a spike in wolf sightings and close encounters in the area.
Specialists who monitored the area over the weekend did not witness any human-wolf encounters, but say there were still signs of wolf activity.
A wolf advisory for the region remains in place, meaning people are still encouraged to leave dogs at home “since at least one wolf in the area has begun to identify and target dogs as prey,” Parks Canada said.
Parks Canada praised weekend visitors who respected the temporary dog ban and were vigilant about cleaning up food and garbage on the beach.
Anyone visiting Pacific Rim National Park is advised to keep dogs on leashes at all times, never approach or feed wild animals and to make noise and back away slowly if approached.
Officials are asking anyone who sees a wolf to report the encounter, including details like time, location and behaviour, to Parks Canada at 1-877-852-3100.
