Gray wolf returns to New England
March 8, 2008
For more than a century — in Connecticut, more than two centuries — gray wolves have been absent from the New England landscape.
Now, wolf by wolf, that may be changing.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced it had officially identified a large, dog-like animal killed in western Massachusetts last fall as a wild gray wolf. It’s the first time in 160 years a wild wolf has roamed that state.
It’s unclear where the wolf came from — the best guess is that it made its way south from established wolf populations in Ontario or Quebec.
“There are a lot of questions we don’t have answers for,” Thomas Healy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s special agent in charge, said Wednesday.
Dale May, director of the wildlife division of the state Department of Environmental Protection, said young wolves seeking to establish their own territory can travel “100, 200 or 300 miles.” If a wolf were able to move from Canada to Massachusetts, May said, there’s reason to think one might eventually wander even farther south into the forests of northern Connecticut.
“This was unexpected,” May said of the Masachusetts finding. “But wolves have been known to roam.”
A single gray wolf won’t mean a pack will ever set up residence in Connecticut. May said wolves need 50 to 100 square miles of wild country to operate successfully.
“That means low human population and a low road density,” he said. “There aren’t many places like that in Connecticut.”
I don’t think we have to worry about wolves in Danbury or Westchester County,” said Maggie Howell, operations manager with the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, N.Y. “There are too many people. Wolves know people are dangerous.”At the same time, Howell said, the entire Northeast has been “screaming” for a predator like the gray wolf to control the overabundance of white-tailed deer.
Such a predator “could have a huge impact on the ecosystem, down to the level of things like insects,” she said.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recovered the Massachusetts wolf in October after a farmer in the town of Shelburne killed it. The wolf had previously mauled and killed some lambs on his property.
At that time, Healy said, the service wasn’t sure exactly what it had.
“Did we know we had a big one?” he said. “Yes.”
The service identified the animal as a gray wolf only after DNA testing showed it was not a dog, a coyote or a dog-wolf hybrid. Instead, the service said, the DNA was consistent with gray wolves.
Healy said this is the third gray wolf identified in recent years in the Northeast — the others were in Maine and northern New York. But he said it’s very possible these three weren’t loners and that other wolves are drifting down into the region from Canada.
“That’s what a lot of people have said,” Healy said. “You don’t know what else is out there.”
Howell said both Maine and the Adirondacks have long been considered prime wolf territory, and there have been anecdotal sightings of wolves in the region in the past.
“This has been the most definitive discovery,” Howell said. “This is pretty exciting.”
What has surprised wildlife experts is that to get from the Canadian border to Massachusetts, a wolf would need to cross the St. Lawrence River as well as land, staying largely undiscovered.
“He did a lot of traveling without being noticed,” Howell said.
Healy said the area around Shelburne in western Massachusetts is heavily wooded. A wolf that crossed the St. Lawrence could wander through Vermont into Massachusetts without crossing the paths of many humans.
May said if wolves do establish themselves in Maine or New York, it would be more likely one could wander from there to Connecticut.
May said wildlife biologists are learning many animals in the Northeast — while still wary of humans — have learned they can coexist with them.
“We’re finding a lot of these animals are far more adaptable than we think they are.”
After a little internet searching, reading, and checking up on this stuff I found it�s a pretty well established product in Canada and hails from Quebec where they have this funny habit of speaking a lot of French. Thus the name, Jig-A-Loo, and the company�s claim it derives from a saying they have up north, �I�ve got it!� 
Does your organization do visits/lectures on the wolf? We are interested in a spring demo. Thank you, Pat Yagmin, Pres. Friends of the Eleanor Buck Wolf Nature Center, Wethersfield, CT
I thought, last night, I saw a wolf. I am not sure whether it was a grey wolf or not, but this was larger than a german shepard sitting in my back yard. I live in CT and I didn’t think that wolves were still anywhere around the area but I know that we have foxes that have made a den in my yard. I am wondering if this is a wolf but I am almost sure that there is no coyote or fox that can get to be the size of a Shepard. I spotted it 3x in a 5 hour period. In the area ajacent to my home there is about 100 sq miles of wooded area. How likley is it that it is a wolf?
I live in Ridgefield CT and spotted what we are sure is a Wolf in my backyard, mid morning. it was sitting, then standing on a huge rock on the back of my 2.5 acres that backs up to a State Park. It roamed my unfenced grassy yard, until my Golden Retriever approach it and it ‘sauntered’ off slowly. It was larger than my Golden Retriver, who weighs 75 lbs. It was definitley not a Fox (since I have a family of these roam the edges of my property). .And it was much larger and furier than a coyota. Based on Wolf Images, it definitely was a Wolf. Could Wolvves may be returning to CT?
i was just driving up through my daughters school rd. looking at houses. it is a lightley wooded area. and there roams a beautiful grey wolf right in front of my car in little old wallingford, ct. it was a gorgeous wolf at that!! i called the police just to let them know and they said if it looked healthy and it did that they will just let it be. i tried to get my camera out, but he just disappeared into the woods. beautiful sight!!
Jan. 04, 2009, we saw a fox running about the yard in Newtown, Ct. Shortly after that (8:30 a.m.) we saw what we believe to be a gray wolf come down from a wooded hill and cross through our yard and driveway. It was large, fluffy, and gray. About the size of a shepard. Didn’t look like any of the coyotes that we’d seen before. What are our concerns regarding the family / childrens safety?
Jan. 13, 2009. at 7:25pm…I saw a large wolve-like animal weighing close to 70lbs. I live in Seymour-Oxford line. It was off Mountain Road. I do know what a coyote looks like because I see them at least once a month in our front yard across from the preservation area. Did anyone see something similar…or did I just see a huge coyote? I have a dog that weigh 75 lbs and it was the same size.
This afternoon about 2:45 pm. while looking out our back porck window we saw 2 yes 2 gray wolves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! coming from our backyard from the conservation land which ajoins our property in Hanson, Ma.
Stunning site! Both animals separated for a few minutes by afew yards apart. Then took off heading south. We are in a residentual area.
We went online and looked up images of New England Wolf and came upon this site. Yes there is no doubt this is the two animals we saw.
They must be hungry with all the snowfall to come out in this area?
Beautiful animal!
1/21/09
This evening, while driving home from work on rt 79 in the Durham/Madison area of CT, a large Gray Wolf ran out from a densely wooded area and crossed the road in front of me. It was a majestic sight to see this animal running across the road. Perhaps this could be the same Wolf spotted in Wallingford a couple of weeks earlier.
This was definitely not a domestic dog or coyote and the location is popular for deer sightings. I would estimate the Wolf is around 80 or 90 lbs…compared to my Great Pyr who is about 120lbs.
1/22/09
We just saw a lone grey wolf pass through our backyard in Brookfield,CT. He looked a little worse for wear. Last year possibly in the spring we saw 2 traveling together. One was grey the other on the tan side. It was very exciting to see but also a little scarey as this is a populated area full of dogs and children! He was minding his own business just walking in the woods between the houses heading north.
1/29/09
We have seen 3 Grey wolves in our neighborhood just off rte 202/109 in New Milford around 2am last friday playing right in the road and wouldn’t move. We have seen the packs of coyotes, but they come once a month or so, but not recently. Big difference between the wolves and coyotes, these were grey thick coat and heavy looking twice the size of a husky. They looked rather young as we went to a Wolf show’s a couple of times.
April 6th, 2009
After dinner last night while my Husband, Dad and my 28 yr old Son were still sitting at the kitchen table they spotted something walking across the backyard.
They went to the window to investigate, and as sure as they were standing there they swear they saw a wolf. My Son went outside to see if he could spot it again.
And sure enough the animal came back out of the woods. My son said he saw the yellowish color of its eye and the animal was large. Unfortunately my Son moved a little and the animal heard him and ran off. We have 4 acres of land that abut a larger area of woods. We see white tail deer and coyotes here all the time. I’ve even taken pictures from my kitchen window with a 200mm lens of a wandering coyote. My Son has 4 Siberian Husky, one that is very large so he’s got a pretty good judge of size and he said that there was no way that what he saw was a coyote, he is certain he saw a wolf. We also have a very large park less than a quarter mile from our house. So I am wondering if he may of wandered here from the park area which is highly dense with woods and a mountain. My Dad, who is from Canada and was a hunter all his life also says he sure it was a wolf.
Sorry, I forgot to mention that the wolf was seen in a very highly populated area in Meriden, CT.
My boyfriend and I were hiking through the West Hartford resovoir around sunset, and spotted a large gray wolf down down by the stream that runs parrallel to the hiking path. Because it was a cooler day and the sun was setting, there weren’t very many other people about and the woods were fairly quite. The wolf was light gray in color with some white, and even though it was a good distance away from us, I was pretty awed by how large it was. When I spotted it, the wolf was walking back up from the stream bank where it probably had been drinking. Startled by it’s presence, my boyfriend and I both took off in the other direction as fast as our legs would carry us. And the wolf took off back into the woods. phew
I was jogging on the Middletown/Cromwell biking/walking trail where it splits onto the dirt path on Sunday, April 26th. It was early before 7:30am. A deer (huge) came running up the embankment (through the water) over the trail and up the hill. The splashing through the water that runs along side the path is what startled me. Right behind it was a grey , large german shepard size, dog. It was longer haired than a german sheppard and scruffy. It definitely was not a coyote, I have seen enough of those. It turned and ran back through the water. Everyone says there are no wolves in CT. I beg to differ….
Driving on Sunset Hill in Redding, Connecticut this morning, about 7:45 am. I spotted a grey wolf starting to cross the road, it was coming over a stone wall. I slowed my car down, put my window down , for a better view, it looked similar to a German Shepard, though larger with tufted fur. The wolf stopped moving, looked at me and then turned back into the woods. Huntington State Park is on this road. My family did not believe me…until I read the previous posts out loud to them!
Saw a large Grey wolf yesterday on my way to work. Ran accross the round on to higher ground and turned around and stared at me. Come to find out another woman from work saw the same thing when she came in. It was on Old Ridgebury road in Ridgebury where they are building all new developments
I was taking out my garbage and I saw two things trotting in the middle of the road in my direction. They kept getting closer and closer so I got behind my gate. I was not even 7 feet from one of them and I swear that it was a grey wolf. Much bigger than a fox or supposedly what a coyote is supposed to be. But is there even a possibility that there could have been two grey wolves in Branford, CT?
I was sitting out front of my house and five of my cats were all looking into the woods. A few moments later I saw a young adolescent wolf. I at first thought it could be a fox or coyotee, but its facial features were different. I live in the southern end of New Milford where it is mostly wooded.
are there wolves in CT? yes
i know people that own them, some have more then one.
gray wolves and yukon blacks. i am all for a wolf/wolves having human pack members.
they are more common then you think, but due to your friendly neighborhood DEP officer and the laws of CT, your neighbor will never tell you his “dog” is a wolf.
i have some gorgeous pics of these animals that people are so deathly afraid of.
i have a german shephard(moose) she is 6½ months old and already weighs 85 lbs. shes not an american shephard shes from checkoslovakia. she will get considerably larger. so you cant say just because its about 80 lbs it must be a wolf, i have seen some good sized coyote’s.
for those in Mass wanting to learn more about wolves check out the “wolfman” of ipswitch. he has wolves you can view, he explains all about them. call ahead for times that you can visit the sanctuary…sorry i dont have the number, obviously he is located in ipswitch.
anyone wishing to see the pics i have can reach me at i@donotgiveashit.com yes its a real email.(inside joke)
While looking out my window two days ago around 1:25 in the afternoon I spotted a wolf in my back yard, I quickly ran & snaped a pic. Once I took the pic it walked back behind trees into the woods. Although I am locted on RT7 in Gaylordsville, CT I have had the pleasure of visits from differant wild life animals over the years but this is the first I have seen a wolf.
Weston, CT – my husband and I saw a wolf on Friday, September 4, 2009. We see coyotes all the time and this was absolutely a wolf. My son had told me he saw a wolf one day in March when he was on the school bus, I no longer doubt that he did!
I was coming home from work on Sept 13 early Sunday morning approx. 1:30 when
I saw two wolves…One behind the other come out of the woods onto my property and continue to trot up the drive way. It appeared as if they were tracking something. Most likely deer…I normally always see them out during this time. I sighted these wolves for the first time in Waterford, Ct. They both were healthy looking and well over 90 to 100lbs each. Gray/Silver in color. I was ready to re-enter my car because of their size. They did not appear to have noticed me.
9 AM on Friday October 9th 2009, while driving on Cedar Ln in Middletown CT I saw what looked like a White Wolf. It was blond like a golden retriever, very light in color but bigger that any golden retriever I have every seen and the ears were up like a sheppard. It run across the road about 100 feet in front of my car and went about 50 feet into the woods than stop and look back at me for a few seconds as I stopped to look at him then he turned and walked quickly away into the woods. He was larger that a German Sheppard. I have been hiking in this area for over 15 years and this is the first time I have seen something like this. I alway hike with my dog and I keep her on a leash, good thing I guess.
Last night (Oct 21, 09) I saw a large wolf trotting on Rainbow Road in Windsor, CT. It was very light in color and pretty big. I have seen coyotes, foxes, and bears in this area and this was the first time i have evr seen a wolf. I mentioned the sightibg to my friend who said she had seen it the night before on Meriman Rd, CT.
i think its great that the wolves are comign back and i too live in Connecticut, and last night takign my dog out there was an animal which my family thinks a wolf becasue it was huge much bigger than a dog and a cyote but it couldnt have been a wolf could it? It howled when it saw us and then back i nthe woods there was another howl possibly two howls but i ran down the street becasue i thought it would eat me. it was a lighter color and it looked to be at around as high as my hip and im 5’3. Was it a wolf or a wolf-dog hybird?
i think its great that the wolves are comign back and i too live in Connecticut, and last night takign my dog out there was an animal which my family thinks a wolf becasue it was huge much bigger than a dog and a cyote but it couldnt have been a wolf could it? It howled when it saw us and then back i nthe woods there was another howl possibly two howls but i ran down the street becasue i thought it would eat me. it was a lighter color and it looked to be at around as high as my hip and im 5’3. Was it a wolf or a wolf-dog hybird?
I live in Trumbull and last night at around 12:30 a.m. my dogs were barking uncontrollably so I finally let them outside. They continued to bark and finally I turned on the backyard light and a large (bigger than my 90 lb lab) gray wolf was sauntering across my backyard. i have seen coyotes and foxes quite often in my neighborhood but this was definately a wolf. I recently had a family of ducks move into my backyard pond and am thinking that maybe this attracted the wolf?
On Friday Nov. 20 while driving with 3 other people in Vernon CT we spotted a long wolf crossing open space near a pond ……We got a very good look at him and he looked down and sought of hide his face while rushing off…He was probably a grey wolf……….We were excited because none of us knew of Wolves in CT or had ever seen one…..It was about 11:30 pm…………………………….
On Tuesday, December 1st I was driving down route 254 from Litchfield to Thomaston, CT on my way to work. Out of the corner of my eye I saw an animal coming at my car. It was big and looked like a giant German Shepherd, but it was not a dog. It ran just behind my car and in front of the pickup truck coming the other way. Luckily neither of us hit it. There are fields on both sides ot the road, with livestock on one side. Topsmead State Forest borders route 254 just above where I saw the animal. It had to be a wolf. I have seen coyotes, and this was no coyote. It looked just like the picture on this website.
i thought i was nuts,but i saw one in my back yard in new fairfield ct
I could not believe my eyes, two wolves crossed our back yard in Avon at around 7AM this morning. One of them seemed to be hurt on the back leg. Amazing, what a sight to see….
I live in Bethany, Ct. Yesterday morning, I saw what looked like a gray wolf in the front of my house at daybreak. It did not look like any of the coyotes that we have here and the size and coloration was such that I thought it was a wolf, although I can not be sure. The tracks (there was a snow covering) did not have the more oval shape of a coyote, but rather wider. It looked healthy, strong, beautiful and I was in awe.
http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/eastoncourier/news/localnews/44502-forest-early-riser.html
Leaving our home last evening we saw what we believe was a gray wolf. It was much broader in the shoulders and a lighter color than a coyote. It stopped to look at us when our headlights hit it and it returned a howl back to my husband. We looked up images on the internet and are fairly certain that it was a wolf we saw.
We live in Oakdale, CT, on old farm land in a somewhat residential area.
I haven’t seen a wolf, but we surely heard one howling in the woods adjacent our house this evening around 7 PM. Our land abuts Nehantic State Forest in Salem.
I have never heard a Wolf in the wild before. Very loud, not to be ignored when at fairly close range. We first heard it in the house with the TV on. When we investigated with a flash light we saw the eyes about 80 to 90 yards away and that frightened it away.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! I SAW A WOLF THIS MORNING, New Year’s Day, 2010! I live in FAIRFIELD, Ct, and it was sitting in the middle of my snowy driveway. It definitely was the size and proportions of a wolf, not a coyote or fox. And it was not a stray dog. I live on four acres just south of the Merritt and I have lots of deer throughout the year (a good meal for a wolf, no?) After watching it for ten minutes, I went outside to say hello, and of course, he trotted off in the direction of some nearby woods…Talk about a beautiful way to begin the New Year… I’m heading out shortly to see if I can photograph its footprints in the snow.
Laura,Happy New Year to you! My husband Saw a wolf just a half-hour ago!!!!! We live in Canterbury,Ct. About 20 min. North of Foxwoods. My Grandmother owns the 80 acres of complete woods that is behind our house,so we are used to seeing all kinds of wild animals.Baldwin Brook runs through our property,and he was down by the water. Like you said-What a way to start 2010!!!!!!!! He is POSITIVE it was a wolf,and I’m glad to see that other people have also seen these beautiful creatures. If we see him again,I’ll let everyone know!
Kim, that’s SO COOL! A little while ago I googled “wolf symbolism” and got some pretty interesting stuff, i.e.: http://paganismwicca.suite101.com/article.cfm/wolf_influential_pagan_symbol
THANKS for responding, and an auspicious New Year to you both!
xxx
Laura
I think the flurry of sightings and hearing the howling on Dec 31 / Jan 1 is interesting considering that it was a full moon on New Year’s eve! How wonderful that there is finally a photo of a wolf in CT – Easton to be exact (see Dec 17 posting above). As I commented on the Easton newspaper website – people who are fearful that wolves are back need to realize that motor vehicles pose a much greater risk to our lives than any wild animal every will.
I live in Naugatuck and several weeks ago I saw what I think was a wolf in my yard. He was gray, very healthy looking and not at all timid. I thought at first it was a coyote, but it was very large. It stayed around for about half an hour,
On Jan 14th & 15th I spotted a large Canis something on the ice in the quaddick reservoir. A fast mover, larger than my 60lb mutt with a stride that was greater. I did snap a photo, but the subject was already 1/4 mile away and close to the opposite shore abutting state land. So the photo isnt going to prove anything but fuel debate. Still, Im leaning toward Canis Lupis. If you want the image then email me and decide for yourself. johnhu1966@netscape.net
What a surprise. I have seen many red foxes and plenty of coyotes and several bears in my Canton Ct backyard. Jan 19,2010, while looking out my back picture window there was a huge, broad shouldered long-legged coyote? I stepped out onto my deck, not believing what I was seeing (it was so big). It was looking right at me while pacing back and forth (probably smelling my shepard). Then I saw the second smaller one waiting impatiently to move on. Soon enough they ran thru the yard and up the street towards the top of the mt.
I really thought It could not have been, till the next day. The plumber, who lives in Avon CT just happened to bring up on his own that he had seen two gray wolves in his yard twice in the past week. That was when I knew for sure that I too had seen a gray wolf. What a thrill! I have my camera ready now.
About 10 am today 1/24/2010 I looked out my kitchen window and saw a beautiful No. American gray wolf running through my backyard. I live in Prospect, Ct.
Between 2-3 AM on January 23rd I definately heard the unmistakable sound of wolves howling in the forested land adjacent to Rt.63 where I live in Naugatuck . In the 37 years I have lived in Naugatuck, I have never heard that sound here before. It woke me out of a sound sleep. Wolves are definately back here in Connecticut.
This morning, throught the snowfall, my husband & I saw 3 wolves moving through the woods behind our home. We are in New Milford, east of town, and they were headed towards the reservoir. They were bigger than coyote, huskier, and didn’t lope like coyotes. They looked really healthy. Really cool.
I saw a gray wolf on my drive home last week. I live in Bloomfield on the Simsbury line. I am an avid outdoor’s-man and after having personally seen some gray wolves at Yellowstone national park in captivity, I am certain I saw a gray wolf crossing Mountain Rd. in West Hartford. It was at a location where I have often seen deer.
I worry about my 30 lbs dog who is often in my yard which is adjacent heavily wooded areas and state parks.
My house is located on rt. 79 in Madison, Ct. During today’s snow storm I looked into the wooded area of my back yard and saw what looked like a WOLF! I have seen many different animals back there including turkeys, deer, coyote, fox, rabbits…….but I never expected to see anything like this. I am now searching the web and am seeing that there are numerous reports of possible wolf sightings in Connecticut. Maybe the public should be made aware of the possibility of wolves in ct. for safety reasons
I live in Branford directly on the water and I saw two of them twice months and months ago. No one believed me. I’m glad to hear that other people have spotted them too. The two that I saw were so beautiful. They were huge and had a very thick coat on them. Absolutely gorgeous!!
Dear Joseph G, yes, you most likely did see a wolf! As far as “safety” is concerned, wolves are well known to be afraid of humans. I saw one in my driveway New Year’s Day and when I went outside to take a closer look- I was about 75 feet away- it took off as soon as it saw me. But what a wonderful way to initiate the New Year, what a gift!
I don’t have any pets and that could possibly be an issue although there plenty of deer to satisfy countless wolves…
Last week as we were driving away from our house, my husband, two sons and I spotted what we believed to be a wolf in our neighbor’s yard. We’ve all seen plenty of coyotes, but this was much larger, fluffier and seemed very healthy. It was headed for our neighbor’s stoop where her cat hangs out and couldn’t be dissauded from it’s destination until we honked our horn. We live in the northeastern section of Trumbull, CT and our street backs up to the Easton reservoir.
The afformentioned neighbor said she has also seen the “wolf” and had snapped a picture which she’s having developed. She said she has many pictures of the coyotes who come thru her yard and agreed that this was no coyote. Her yard backs up directly to the reservoir so she gets even more wildlife than ourselves.
On Sunday morning February 14th, I was leaving Gillete’s Castle in East Haddam when an animal that looked to be a wolf darted in front of my car. It was about the size of a large german shepard and was grey with a light-colored snout and face. It was on the trail of something and following a set of tracks. Can’t say for sure but would like to think so.
On Friday February 12th I was driving on Clapboard Hill with my family at dusk. At the intersection of Clapboard and Tanner Marsh, in Guilford CT one of my sons and my husband simultaneously shouted out WOLF!!! By the time they pointed me to where the animal was, I just got a quick glimpse of it from behind. It looked like the back of a very large light grey and white German Shepard. We have all seen coyotes on a number of occasions and this definitely was not a coyote. It was much larger, wider, fluffier, and healthier looking than a coyote. We were all quite surprised as we had no idea that wolves roamed in CT.
Just saw 2 along our fenceline…..Bigger than a coyote. Heard them earlier too….Around 6AM, howl was distinctly different from a coyote. Then I saw what was definately a coyote, so I went and photograhed the footprints in the snow. Coyote print +- 2″ Wolf print + 4″. North Guilford.
Despite what people say (including CT DEP), wolves are most definitely living in the State of CT.
I also live in New Milford, CT and have a pair of Eastern Timber Wolves that are permanent residents just off our property, near the resevoir off Second Hill & Upper Resevoir Roads.
I have extensively studied/ researched/ etc. Canids (wild & domestic) behavior/ psychology, language/ communication, etc. for several years – more specifically, w/ focus on the direct correlation/ comparison of Canis Lupus & its direct subspecies – Familiaris, assessing/ evaluating its efficacy (as a more effective method/ technique) raising, shaping, & advanced training of both domestic ‘pets’ & service dogs (of specific/ unconventional breed w/ higher intelligence) that exhibits more of an innate ability to comprehend/ communicate in the same manner. Bottom line – I know my wolves
Though we have a resident pack now of only 4-5 ‘Eastern Coyotes’ (aka Coy-Wolves that are definitely of Red Wolf mix) that I also keep close tabs on (after a close up encounter 2 yrs ago while the Alpha & Omega pair were teaching 6 pups stalking/ ambush techniques -until they were surprised to find out it was a human) . . . . these guys have since changed their routine behaviors, incl a big change in home territory since the wolves have moved in only a few mos ago & started marking their territory for themselves (w/ strategically ‘placed’ scat – esp. in the lower 1/2 of our property/ yard).
Though I had suspected wolves for a few months – viewing both enormously sized scat & huge tracks (over 4 1/4in. compared to smaller Coyotes w/ prints only around 1 1/2in). Also as compared to active/ thin build 65lb service dog w/ 3 3/4in print who stands only 28in at shoulder. Then one sunny, warm day, we both took each other by surprise, as he stood in the huge clearing in our yard – just past that nice safe fence. We had a good long stare off, until he stood down & eventually left . . . though he surely was taking his time.
I estimated that this BIG Black/ Charcoal Timber Wolf was very easily, a solid 85-90 lbs (if not much more), and could easily tower over my 28in (at shoulder) service dog. Never in my life have I ever seen such an absolutely beautiful animal.
I can tell anyone who’s not sure, that once you’ve heard a wolf call and/or territorial howl, there truly is no way you could ever mistake it for that high pitched, whiney yip yap of an Eastern Coyote call to gather. Wolves make their presence known w/ such a deep, broad chested vocalization that gives you nothing but goosebumps – in a good way.
So to all those CT State ‘officials’ who say they do not exist here – you couldn’t be more wrong! All I truly hope for, is that they take all the sightings into serious consideration to change the way that hunting & destroy permits here are handed out. This is an endangered animal that has finally made its way back after almost 200 years. It was beyond tragic, what human ignorance did to them back then – let’s make sure that it doesn’t happen again.
My mother-in-law and I were driving along Rt 177 in Plainville, CT near the Farmington line late this morning and saw an animal smaller than a deer but larger than a coyote run across the road ahead of us. As we passed him/her, we saw what definitely looked to be a grey wolf standing by the road looking back at us. It was not a coyote and appeared to be the size of a very large German Shepherd – but with obvious wolf features. It was light grey, tan and dark grey and quite healthy-looking.
I saved my son’s cat that I’m “catsitting” from a grey wolf this morning. The cat was walking across my backyard around 7:30 AM when I saw the wolf starting to run toward him from my neighbor’s house. I ran out the back door scaring him off into the woods. We live in South Windsor in a residential area with a small strip of woods behine our house.
People deserve very good life and credit loans or just short term loan would make it much better. Just because people’s freedom bases on money.
I was driving home tonight and hit what appeared to be a large grey wolf. It looked to be about 80 lbs. The state police came and saw the animal after it had been ran over many times. I have seen many coyotes and am positive it was not one. 3 other people in the car behind me said they were sure it was a wolf also. We were driving on I 95 at exit 22 in wethersfeild ct.
Karen – what did the police say and what are they doing with the animal – will they find someone to identify it?
State police came and saw the remains on the highway. They could have cared less what it was. There is hair stuck in the grille of the car. I am going to get a sample today and see if anyone is interested in testing it.
Karen – I recommend emailing Vicki Croke, New England journalist who writes and reports about animals. She would be interested and has commented on a local news show about the possibility of wolves in New England. vickicroke@vickicroke.com
Karen – Pleas update this thread on the results – We are ALL interested….
I will email Vicky and keep you posted!
I have been in contact with the CT DEP a number of times regarding the PAIR of what I believed were ‘Eastern’ Timber Wolves. Luckily, there is a Canid & Canis Lupus (Gray/ Timber Wolf) expert there which has had hands on experience with several projects involving not just the Gray Wolves of the Wisconsin area, but also the Mexican Gray Wolf of the Southwestern States and also the Red Wolf that once used to be common to the Southeast (now found in parts of Canada, esp. Algonquin Park). It has been such a relief to speak with someone who knows what they’re talking about and also has given me enough respect to actually listen and speak at length with me, and also acknowledging the fact that I do know my Canids.
As many people are not aware, the Eastern Coyotes found in our State of CT (as well as NY, MA, etc.) have genetically (DNA) tested positive as RED WOLF HYBRIDS. This is the reason why they are so much larger than their Western (original) counterparts. Initially, it was the Western Coyote that migrated into the Midwest and eventually made their way up North into Canada – where they bred with the Red Wolf – before making their way across and back down into the Northeastern States. While they certainly are larger (avg. weight 30-40 lbs, sometimes slightly more), people definitely need to make sure they are not getting confused with what are potentially WOLF sightings. THIS is one reason why CT DEP tends to disregard people so often, as they could occasionally be mistaken. With my original Eastern Coyote pack dwindled down now to only 2 remaining offspring, I have to say that there is a male Coyote that is incredibly large for a Coyote – averaging around 55-60 lbs easily. But there is no mistaking that he is a Coyotes, with typical long, skinny legs, flatter skull transitioning into his muzzle, with a typical bouncy gait and is extremely skittish. While he hasn’t yet shed his winter coat (e.g. blown coat) yet, his appearance can be on the bulkier side & is the typical mix of gray, tan, white & black coloring. Their vocalizations are also the typical yip, yap & howling is much higher pitched with a distinct drop off at the end (calling other members of the pack). I could see how he might be confused with a wolf by some people, but our other resident could never be . . .
In speaking at length (& several times) with my guy at DEP, we are in the process of deciding exactly how this Timber Wolf came to be here in our State. Apparently the (color) phase of this solid black wolf is NOT common to the Eastern Timber Wolf, but more so, of the WESTERN Timber Wolf (and many of Northern Canada). Though CT DEP has admitted (at least to me) that they are FULLY AWARE OF WOLVES IN CT, they are not as concerned since they haven’t been able to identify ‘mating pairs’ of wolves, as much as they are aware of individuals. It is only when a mating pair can be positively identified, that I believe they will take notice – as this is a situation in which an actual PACK OF WOLVES can evolve and begin to claim territory – as well as hunting larger game on a regular basis (as well as be a possible concern for humans and/or livestock, etc.)
While we are still rying to figure out the origin of this huge 85-90+ lb. BLACK Timber Wolf, one possibility was raised by DEP as to whether it was a possible HYBRID that someone released – since that ‘phase’ is not common of the Eastern Wolf or whether it has taken the same migration route as the Eastern Coyotes – especially since I have confirmed a PAIR and not just an individual animal. Though it is unlikely that Western Timber Wolves made their way to CT from Wisconsin (via Canada), it isn’t impossible either. In many studies on the Yellowstone Western Timber Wolves (Timber Wolf & Gray Wolf are the same animal), they have found many individual pack members that have dispersed from the pack – up to 300 miles away from their original location, though they rarely do travel that far (considering there aren’t many routes available to avoid humans, roads, etc. as well as encountering the danger of travelling through other packs territories).
The exact origin of the pair of wolves I have here, may never be known. In the case of a wolf hybrid that was released by its owner, which many sightings may also be – esp. now that it is illegal in most States to own one, I have thought of a little trick that ‘might’ work to determine just that. & impatiently waiting for the next close up encounter I have with my Black Timber Wolf – to barck out the command ‘sit’. My belief is, should it have ever been owned (e.g. tamed), the most important command it would’ve ever been taught would be to sit. My thought premise is that if it was ever domesticated, I should have some type of response – whether it actually sits or not – if it is wild, it won’t make a bit of difference, as WOLVES, while they do not care to be near humans – WILL NOT BE SKITTISH OR RUN LIKE COYOTES, BUT WILL USUALLY STAND THEIR GROUND (important for everyone to note).
WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO DO WHEN SIGHTING what they believe to be a Timber/ Gray Wolf, is to document it as best they can. Make sure to get a picture of the animal, or even better, a video – to offer as proof when contacting the DEP. It will give them the opportunity to examine the animal characteristics, from appearance to gait, in order to correctly/ positively identify the animal. It will also serve to prove the existence to any naysayers as well.
As a last note, people need to remember what I stated above – as WOLVES do not act the same as the Coyote/ Red Wolf Hybrids here in the Northeast. While Wolves will avoid humans as much as possible, THEY ARE NOT SKITTISH LIKE COYOTE HYBRIDS here, and will not normally run away at the first sight. WOLVES WILL STAND THEIR GROUND – as they are top predators (and most in Today’s worlds are not familar with the history/ danger associated w/ man – as they are FEDERALLY PROTECTED AS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES & IT IS FEDERALLY ILLEGAL TO SHOOT ANY WOLF AND/OR POSSES SUCH A WOLF PELT FOR ANY REASON) I believe each offense has a fine of $100,000 and possible mandatory jail time as well).
Also, if you do encounter a wolf at closer range – DO NOT EVER TURN YOUR BACK & DO NOT EVER EVER RUN. Always STAND YOUR GROUND & DO NOT STARE (as this is a direct threat for most every animal, especially Canids – even their direct sub-species, the domestic dog). I would highly suggest that while you stand there, look slightly off to the side & if you can remember, visibly YAWN. Any Canid will read this action as you are not a threat/ mean no harm, but you are not a pushover either & will not be regarded as ‘prey’ (which is ANYTHING that runs away). The act of yawning is usually perceived as a diffusing a tense situation – as though you do not acknowledge their presence as a threat (much like you have better things to do than cave into their threats). Any Canid should subsequently walk off/ away on their own, at which you should wait a few minutes before you leave – walking ‘backwards’ for a little while first (as they may walk off, but may also still be watching). Always remember to stay as calm as possible as well (think of something non-relative, maybe what you had for breakfast or dinner the night before).
my son and i witness a pack of wolve take a deer in feb. last night a lone wovle retun to my back yard. I watch him or her for 20 min until it was to dark , he was very timmed . he would keep moving back an forth looking to see if anyone was around I was in my house watching thur the window. long legs as long as my arms ,little bigger than a sheppard. I live in new hartford off steel rd thousands of acers. Its great to see all the wild life out here many bears .when my son and I saw them take the deer I told him its like living in the wild kingdom.5/3/2010
The other day I was in a discussion with a coworker about wolves in CT. I told him last year when I went fishing that I saw from a far what I believed was a grey wolf chasing after a white tail in a wide open area down near the shore. The one thing that I found fascinating about this chase was this canine was gaining on the deer and the deer was running wide open throttle. That was no ordinary dog chasing a deer. And it was indeed not a coyote. I know coyotes when I see them as they’re all over here in Colchester. I’m convince based on the size of this animal and the awesome speed it exhibited that it was indeed a wolf. The wolf ended the chase when the deer jumped over an obstacle and ran off into the woods. I believe the CTDEP is incorrect stating that there are no wolves in CT.
I had a discussion with Dan Stahler, biologist for the Yellowstone Wolf Project. concerning possible wolves, or coywolves, in the New England area. Dan studied at the University of Vermont and is very knowledgeable about wolf/coyote activity in the New England area. I have observed several coyotes in Yellowstone and their average weight is 25-35 lbs, so when I had a couple of “coyote” that were in the 70-80 lb range on my property I knew these were not typical coyote. In fact the animals in my area were more similar to wolves than coyote, One was creme in color, one was solid black, and two were a gray/brown mix. Dan stated that at some point a wolf , or wolves, from Canada has mated with coyote(s) and this cross breed(which many are now calling coywolves) was created. Dan stated that the mix of the two breeds is genetically possible, and likely, and that they definitely would produce viable offspring. I have had several deer killed by this pack animal, and the typical coyote would not have been capable of taking down large prey like I located.
So basically in New England there are many people reporting wolf sightings, and they are not far off. Typically the wolf needs 50-100 miles of forest to survive, and that is where you are going to normally find them. Wolves living in a densely wooded area are also not likely to be seen very often, so long as there is an adequate food supply such as deer. Rick McIntyre(YWP) spent fifteen years in Alaska and never saw a wolf, but now he is in Yellowstone and has seen wolves every singe day for over ten years. So a lot depends on the geographical makeup as to whether you might see a wolf, or a coywolf, but at the same time they are very likely there.
Feel free to contact me at Dave@wolfwatcher .com
http://www.wolfwatcher.com
I am at present in Rhode Island
Just as another FYI for (at least most of NY & CT – most likely the rest of New England) – THERE ARE NO (100%) COYOTES IN NEW ENGLAND – Your friend Dan is correct as the ‘Coyote’ population here has already been DNA TESTED AS POSITIVE FOR WESTERN COYOTE/ RED WOLF HYBRIDS. So anyone that thinks they’re seeing Coyotes, they actually ARE RED WOLF HYBRIDS – AKA COYWOLF. If you know anything of RED WOLVES, they are in fact, quite small compared to the Western Timber Wolf (found in Yellowstone – which usually average around 80-100 lbs on average , BUT there was ONE WESTERN TIMBER WOLF they identified weighing a HEALTHY 185lbs!)
The Western Coyotes first migrated North through Canada before mating with the RED WOLVES – (which were originally common in the SOUTHEAST STATES before extermination – but now being reintroduced. Afterwhich, they found naturally occurring in ALGONQUIN PARK/ ONTARIO) – then those hybrids (obviously competing for shrinking territories) migrated South into NEW ENGLAND – hence, why all the Coyote here are RED WOLF HYBRIDS or COYWOLVES.
VERY RARELY will you ever find a WESTERN TIMBER WOLF in New England, but people may actually be seeing EASTERN TIMBER WOLVES, which were part of a re-release program quite some years ago in the ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS. You are correct, in the wolves typically need anywhere from a 50-100 SQUARE MILES per pack/ territory – whereas the Coyote/Wolf Hybrids have adapted (as most Coyotes do) and need only 7-12 SQUARE MILES per pack territory – depending on the food & water resources available to them.
PEOPLE SHOULD ALSO KNOW THAT BLACK CANIDS IN NEW ENGLAND – are not usually wolves (though the pair I ‘had’ were most definitely wolves – and with the black phase at almost 100 lbs, was a WESTERN TIMBER WOLF – whether it migrated from the West through Canada to get here or another new hybrid – I & the CT DEP are still trying to figure out before they disappeared), but the BLACK PHASE IS ALSO COMMON TO COYOTES! It may not be all that common, but there are indeed BLACK PHASED COYOTES in existence – mine was not.
There are several factors – other than weight- to take into consideration when trying to determine a Coyote vs. Wolf, including tracks – in which overall foot size, pad shape, size in comparison, and also the proximity of ‘toe prints’ to other ‘toe prints’ can define a wolf from a coyote. Also the fullness of the face ‘tufts’, carriage of the tail, gait, how slender vs. broad different physical attributes are, as well as vocalizations **are most important as well.
It would do a lot of good for people to try to familiarize themselves with actual physical characteristics – and there is a wealth of information (and pictures/ examples, etc.) as long as you can find a valid website – usually with more biological informaiton (vs. some ‘hunter’s website’)
While there is no doubt that there are wolves in New England, the question remains (especially for the DEP) whether there are any ‘breeding pairs’ or even actual packs that have formed. While I personally have had the CT DEP admit that there truly are wolves in CT (at least), many of them may be hybrids (dog/ wolf) that were once people’s pet (now illegal) that were in turn released into the wild. The issue remains for them, that they can only confirm ‘individual’ animals and have not yet found any reports of – as I said- breeding pairs or actual packs larger than the two/ pair. Hybrids will also chase down deer with no problem (most are Western wolf hybrids), and even a good sized Coyote will give chase (I have one Coyote/ Red Wolf hybrid) from last year’s litter that is a good 50-60 lbs – which is absolutely HUGE for a N.E. Coyote (hybrid). Most average between 25-40 lbs at best, and they are quite ‘chatty’ – compared especially to full blood wolves (which have quite different vocalizations that are more ‘bellow’-ish, deep, direct w/ limited barks/ no yip yap like Coyotes).
So yes, there are wolves here – just a matter of what kind, whether they were released as once owned pets, or even part of a reintroduction program – such as that in the Adirondacks (Eastern Timber Wolves – also much smaller than their Western counterparts), some years ago OR the all too common Coyote/Red Wolf Hybrids that everyone mistakes for ‘just Coyotes’ (that were genetically/ DNA tested positive for Red Wolf – only).
Again, to those unaware, there is PLENTY of still pristine / viable land throughout New England capable of supporting actual wolves (as they are much more shy of humans than the Coyote hybrids. I for one, living in the southern part of the Litchfield Hills – which go on for ever (& includes the Appalachain Trail for quite some span – how many states? Virginia thru Maine?), and w/ the over 400 acres of versatile farm/ grass/ scrub/ woodland abutting our property w/ a wealth of viable resources – running water/ brooks/ streams/ resevoirs and food sources – deer, rabbits, raccoons, opposum, etc. etc. – and plenty of steep hillsides to easily hide/ dig dens out of, it really isn’t that far fetched for wolves to be in/ near Danbury. I’m only 2 towns up & the lake running all the way through to Sherman, rolling hills & moutains
all the way down to my old neighborhood – still untouched woodland (where I used to ride my horse up mountain trails) . . . .
The people who wrote this original article haven’t really done much research as far as I’m concerned . . . . if you’re ever up for actually seeing this wildlife for yourself, my door is always open
I live in Foster RI (about 1 mile from Killingly CT) and have seen several times a “wolf” looking animal jogging down the rural road that I live on. He/She is aprox 80-100lbs and brindle in color. I have tried unsuccessfully to take a picture, but everytime he spots me, she runs away……fast! So far the wolf (hybrid or coy dog/ who really knows!) has not been agressive or interested in my domesticated animals….yet!
I administer the website http://www.wolfwatcher.com and also link facebook directly from the homepage. My facebook name is Wolf Watcher. If anyone gets pics of these wolves that they are reported I would invite and certainly appreciate any photos you might have be posted on my facebook page if possible. I am very interesting and will follow up. It certainly sounds like there are numerous sightings in Ct. and nearby RI. The ideal scenario would be to identify and possibly radio collar some of these animals and in fact see if there are packs within the New England states.
Thanks and hope to hear from many of you.
Dave@wolfwatcher.com