Wolves In The Okanagan

The proof is in the pictures.

Local conservation officers have released a few photos of a wolf -- a rare sight in the Okanagan.

Conservation Officers Greg Hoyer and Ed Seitz have recently come across a black wolf found dead on the Joe Rich main Forest Service road. It was struck by a truck a week ago.

Hoyer says wolf sightings are rare in the Kelowna area.

"This black wolf is the first confirmed wolf in the Kelowna district, for at least the past 18 years that I have been here. I suspect it has been many many years since we have had wolves."

Hoyer says there's reason to believe there's a pack of wolves roaming the area.

"The loggers say there has been a pack of 3 or 4 wolves hanging around this area for the past few weeks. The snow is quite deep here, there are no deer wintering up this high, the only tracks I saw were moose, so I assume this is what they are after."

Hoyer says he's been hearing reports of wolf sightings and now there's proof.

"It only has been the past year or two that I have been getting reports of people who have seen wolves. I was not totally convinced until now, however with the increased frequency of the reported sightings I knew it would only be time before we got confirmation. Seeing is believing."