Sighting in Port Stanley

by Connie - Fanshawe College Photography Student

On March 28, 2015, at 6:49 am I ran, literally running, right into one's path and stopped dead 10 feet from it, as it surprised me at the top of the trail.

I was with my hub and classmate, arriving to shoot (photography) sunrise on the east bank (end of Harrison Place in Port Stanley).

I scared it at first, gasping when I saw its movement, it was my waist height on its back. It jumped about another 5 feet on the hill. I waved my arms at it, yelled "shoo" and approached it.

Thinking it was a Coyote at first. I remembered reading old article last week in online London Free Press to not run nor turn your back and make lots of noise. It moved up the hill face another 5 feet then stopped, when I stopped.

It then looked over its shoulder at me to see if I was chasing it. It then turned around to square off with me. I then realized it was fatter and taller than our male Siberian Husky (we have 3). I quickly scanned the bush for more (a pack) and listened for any movement in the brush.

It was beautiful, yellow eyed, copper & tan with black tipped long plush coat, full tail and off white on the lower jaw area & muzzle. It was 100 lbs at least, our male husky is 90lbs. It stood there starring at me. I never turned my back or ran, stood my ground, showed no fear, although I was inside. I yelled to my hub to get my cam that a Coyote was right there, he and my classmate were just getting out of our SUV.

I turned my head back to see it running down the cliff to the ice. When he hub got to me, he saw it come out at the bottom to the ice. I wonder what would have happened if I had been alone, I believe the SUV door opening with two other humans getting out, scared it. I went down to the ice with 200 m lens, took pics of it.

It was then I realized I was cornered, as I was taking pics I noticed it was approaching me in my lens. It's body was in line with me and coming back straight to me. I lowered the cam and stared, confirmed it was approaching. I grabbed my gear, it sat back down and glared. I quickly went back up the cliff. It sat till sunrise on the ice watching the three of us up on the cliff edge.

Once the sun was up, it went east on the ice and then back into the bush.

We were just researching, Coyote spec's are too small to describe what I saw! No way that was under 60 lbs, and the muzzle was not small and narrow like a coyote. I'm thinking now it is a misplaced Wolf, or Coyotes are mating with huskies etc. to get that size.

My hub and classmate were also surprised at its size for a Coyote. It was not a domestic canine either; legs moved with head stance like a Coyote or Wolf. I was 10 feet initially from it, as I gasped, stopping. If I hadn't have seen its movement for fraction of second while I was talking as I ran, I would have run physically right into it!

At first we thought Coyote, but now leaning to verify Wolf because of its size & markings.

It was 100% not a stray dog nor stray malamute or husky either.

My classmate got his cam out also for pics of it, from above.

Connie, thank you so much for sending us your exciting report of your sighting!

I have given your report its own page, rather than it just being a comment on someone else's page.

If you do have any pictures or the animal you saw, I would love to see them and I can add them to this page - you can send them to me by going to our Grey Wolf page , scrolling down to where it says "Enter the title of your story here" and there is a place where you can add pictures.