I have recently returned from the wilds of coastal BC and been advised of Cortes community conversation around coastal wolves, which reminded me of a wildlife coexistence meeting in Ucluelet several years ago, where I was part of another community’s conversation around coastal wolves.
I met Dennis Hetu, administrator of lands, public works and resources for the Toquaht Nation. Dennis explained his community’s model for coexistence with wolves in their shared territory as; “We encounter wolves a lot but we do not give them a reason to stick around. They go their way and we go ours.”
With increasingly active wolves and increasingly active Cortesians, routine encounters between community members and wolves are on the increase. As wolves become a more visible part of our island landscape, we need to remember, or learn anew, how to coexist with wolves. We need to remove human behaviors that place wolves at risk.
Whenever we routinely encounter wolves on Cortes, it is difficult not to stop and gawk, but remembering Dennis’s sage advice... we need to let them go their way while we go ours. Do not give them a reason to stick around.

Coastal wolves are genetically distinct from interior wolves; with up to 75% of their diet coming from the ocean, they are truly a “sea wolf”. Active research, throughout the Pacific Northwest, continues to study the unique genetic make-up of these “sea wolves”.
Wherever I traveled in coastal BC, folks I met agreed that it is a privilege to share territory with coastal wolves. Folks also understood that the privilege comes with responsibilities.

In 2009, in conjunction with Ben York, then Sergeant with North Island Zone Conservation Officer Service (COS) and Bob Hansen, then Pacific Rim National Park Reserve Human-Wildlife Conflict Officer, I established the Cortes Community Wolf Project to provide Cortesians with the information and resources to reduce human-wolf conflict on Cortes Island.
Cortes Island is one of the last remaining islands in the Salish Sea with healthy large predator-prey relationships; cougar, coastal wolf and Columbian black-tailed deer.
We saw an opportunity.
We developed a 5-point primer to provide simple and effective guidelines for an engaged community to effect coexistence. The Learning to Live with Wolves primer has since been requested by and shared with several coastal BC communities, over the years.
Why?
It works!
CONSISTENT action aligned with the primer effects COEXISTENCE.

I attach it below for your personal reference and you will also find this laminated primer posted in public places throughout the Cortes community, thanks to the Friends of Cortes Island Society (FOCI). FOCI endorses the primer (posted on their website www.friendsofcortes.org) and champions wildlife coexistence in the Cortes community.

Let me walk you through the primer...
1. Never feed wolves; this lean and lanky coastal wolf is well fed on Cortes with deer, raccoon, muskrat, Canada goose, harbour seal and clams.
It is also important to never leave food accessible to wolves, eg. garbage for pickup, compost, pet feeding stations; keep a clean homesite.
2. Do not feed deer or raccoons; these prey species of wolves WILL bring wolves to your doorstep and neighbouring residential areas.

3. Keep yourself safe.
Clearly define your territory; i.e. residential areas, which include your homesite and public gathering areas (shops, school grounds, bus stops, community halls etc.) Make it clear to the wolves that they are NOT welcome in these residential areas; shout, wave arms, blast from an airhorn. Be consistent; wolves are intelligent and learn quickly.
If you work beaches late at night, walk/bicycle roads after dark, take an airhorn to define your personal space.
If you encounter wolves while walking trails/beach and they stand their ground, leave the area; the wolves may have a recent kill or pups of the year nearby.

4. Keep your pets safe.
5. Practice good animal husbandry.
Provide predator proof (minimum 6’ high sturdy fencing) enclosures by day and predator proof structures by night. We fence our gardens to keep out deer; your pets and livestock require the same level of fencing effort.
Meticulously clean pet feeding areas (ideally feed pets inside) and livestock butchering areas; removing carcasses for burial, burning or hot-composting well away from residential areas.

1.2.3.4.5... simple and effective guidelines; CONSISTENCY at a community level is the key to coexistence.

The majority of reported incidences of human-wolf conflict on Cortes Island, involve dogs.
Dog owners especially need to know:
i. Wolves view dogs as a territorial canine threat and have zero tolerance for dogs in their territory; i.e. anywhere outside residential areas.
Dogs therefore act as a magnet for wolves. When you walk your dog outside their home enclosure, expect to attract wolves if they are in the area.
Be alert, be prepared, be responsible.
*Leash your dog. The power of the leash is that wolves recognize the dog as belonging to you; this dramatically reduces the risk of conflict between wolves and dogs. Dogs off leash are viewed as prey by wolves; this is natural behavior for wild wolves.
Wolves often follow/escort people walking dogs on leash in their territory, to monitor if/when the dog is let off leash. Wolves want to ensure territorial canine threats do not remain a threat to themselves, fellow pack members and/or pups of the year. Again, this is natural behavior for wild wolves. If/when you encounter wolves while walking your dog on leash, leave the area.

ii. It is critical that dog owners know they can restrain their dog, on leash, when the dog becomes excited/agitated in the presence of wolves. Know the strength of your dog under stress – and yourself.

iii. Make discerning decisions, where – to walk your dog.
Wolves frequent the northern wilds of Cortes, eg. Ha’thayim Park, Carrington Bay Park; choose other areas.
Wildlife Travel Corridors, eg. Whaletown Commons Park, Hanks Beach Forest Conservation Park provide wolves with safe passage through residentially developed areas. Be alert when you walk leashed dogs in these areas. If you encounter wolves, leave the area.
*Remember the power of the leash; every dog deserves this protection.

The Cortes Community Wolf Project continues to receive routine observations of Cortes wolves and I am happy to put you in touch with professionals to answer your questions. I work directly with an extended community of federal, provincial, non-governmental and private expertise to keep the Cortes community informed on coastal wolves and educated wrt human-wolf coexistence.
I coordinate research wildcams, strategically installed on Cortes for monitoring the distribution and movement of wolves, to inform the mapping of critical wildlife travel corridors. Scat samples are also being collected to support provincial genetic studies.

Mike Newton, Sergeant with North Island Zone COS, and his officers endorse the primer and inform the Cortes Community Wolf Project.
All wolf encounters of concern are to be reported directly to the COS at 1 877 952 7277.

We share territory with coastal wolves on Cortes Island.
Wolves belong here; we belong here.
It’s called COexistence.
It involves societal tolerance... giving wolves the space they need to survive.

The wolves are keeping us on our toes; let’s continue to give coexistence our best effort!