SAHTU
Sahtu motorists are being reminded to report wildlife collisions directly to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources after a wolf was struck south of Norman Wells the week of March 6, says the department's Sahtu Regional Superintendent.

A wolf roams near a roadway. Environment and Natural Resources has a 24-hour telephone response line for the Sahtu region to report wildlife collisions and there is also a tip line where people can leave information. - NNSL file photo

"It's actually a requirement under the wildlife act to report when there's been a collision with wildlife," Jeff Walker said. "It's important that we know."

The wolf was hit on the winter road about 30 kilometres from Norman Wells and was found some time later by an ENR officer on patrol.

The animal had to be killed.

"That wolf had to be destroyed because it was badly injured and it was put out of it's misery and done humanely," Walker said.

In February, a vehicle struck a moose outside of Fort Good Hope and the incident also wasn't reported.

"When you hear it second and third hand we don't have a lot of details to go on to follow up with, so it becomes even more important that when people know this stuff that they contact the local ENR officer and give them as much detail as they know," he said. "When we get reports a week or two or a month late, it's really really hard to do an investigation or to follow up and do anything about it."

Walker said if the department had known about the moose, it might have been possible to salvage the meat.

"We don't want that to go to waste and so we need to know rather quickly so it doesn't get spoiled," he said. "Wildlife are a resource and they're a major supply of food for the communities here and every time one is taken out of the population by an accident and it's not used, then that resource is wasted. We don't want to see that continue."

The incidents are the only two to have taken place so far this year, but Walker said with people travelling the winter roads at night, it's important for motorists to slow down.

"It's easier to drive at night usually and so that's when you'll see nocturnal animals like wolves," he said. "It's slippery and it's difficult on the winter road, we just want the travelling public to be safe so they need to slow down and yield to wildlife when they see them and if they hit something, report it."

Facebook and other social media platforms are changing the way people share information about wildlife in the region, Walker said. While posting to social media is helpful, Walker said calling ENR is still the best way to ensure officers have the information they need to respond to incidents.

"It's very interesting how that has become such a major part of how we do business now. Before, somebody on the radio might have said something or you might hear it in a coffee shop later," he said.

ENR has a 24-hour telephone response line for the Sahtu region and there is also a tip line where people can leave information.

In the meantime, Walker said the department's message is simple.

"We live in their habitat," he said. "Leave the wildlife to be wild, slow down on the winter road and report when there's an incident."

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