Greater Sooke residents are cautioned about a possible wolf sighting after a swan was reportedly killed in the lower Sooke River area last week.
Conservation officials were contacted, but cannot confirm the animal was a wolf.
“I can’t say for certain based on the quality of the photos, but it does have similar characteristics to that of a coastal wolf,” said conservation officer Sgt. Scott Norris.
“We can’t guarantee it’s a wolf. It could be an old mangy dog, it’s hard to say.”
Norris said reports of the animal were first reported last Wednesday. It killed the swan on Thursday was sighted later in the week and again Tuesday morning near the Sooke River Bridge.
Norris said it’s important to remain vigilant, as wolves do exist in the Sooke Hills and can occasionally pay a visit to more urban regions.
“It may have just made its way down the river and got into an urbanized area and realized that it’s not a good place, and back up in the bush it goes,” he said.
Pet owners are also cautioned to keep their animals on a leash. Norris said there have been fatal incidents in the past.
“We’ve had that in the past up Island where fluffy decided to run and check out this animal they thought was a dog but turned out to be a wolf and just killed him.”
So far, though, this is the only reported wolf sighting in Sooke in recent memory, and conservation is still yet to confirm the animal is what is thought out to be.
“If it definitely is a wolf, then we may have to intervene. We’ll see how it plays out,” Norris said.
For any possible sightings, call the conservation service at 1-877-952-7277.