Campground in Banff National Park reopens to tents after brazen wolf euthanized

Campers blamed for wolf encounters Bill Macfarlane reports on the euthanizing of a wolf in Banff National Part and the ending of a tent ban in the Two Jack Lake area

Campers and their tents may return to a campground in Banff National Park on the Lake Minnewanka loop following long weekend wolf activity.

A temporary ban on tents was lifted after a female wolf, which had exhibited bold behaviour, was euthanized. The wolf had become habituated to the Two Jack Main and Two Jack Lakeside campground areas, raiding coolers and acting aggressively towards campers between July 29 and August 1.

Conservation officers attempted to scare off the animal using noisemakers and paintball guns but their efforts were unsuccessful.

Park Canada officials say responsibility for the wolf’s death falls squarely on the shoulders of careless campers who enticed wildlife to the campground with improper storage and disposal of food.

“Campers really need to keep clean campsites, safe campsites,” said Greg Danchuk, visitor experience manager with Parks Canada. "That means putting everything away.  Good examples that people don’t think about are their camp stoves or barbecues. These have to go away in the trunk of a car or a hard-sided device of some sort. We have lockers in a lot of our campsites.”

Danchuk says there are a number of campground odours which may draw wolves including dog food dishes, dog water bowls and fire pits where campers attempted to burn away food remnants.

The wolf is the second member of its Bow Valley pack to be euthanized this year and the sixth members of the pack to die in the last two months. The pack has been reduced to four wolves including a pup.

In an attempt to improve the habits of campers, Parks Canada has ticketed 20 registered campers in the last month, eight in the last week, over infractions related to improper campsite maintenance. The tickets include a mandatory court appearance and a fine of up to $25,000.