Throughout 2006 and early 2007 intermittent sightings of a huge black wolf were reported by residents of a small community in remote northern Minnesota. That in itself is not terribly strange, since the gray wolf can be gray, a mixture of gray, black and reddish hues or completely black, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Conservation Magazine. While there exists a significant number of wolves in northern Minnesota, its still unusual to spy them, and an entirely black wolf is a striking sight, with its long, brilliantly white fangs in contrast to its coat. In the Great Lakes states the wolf was recently taken off of the endangered species list amid much controversy at the beginning of 2008, but was once again returned to the list in September, 2008.
Even stranger, though, was this particular black wolf’s propensity for running after cars passing by on the road. Many travelers on a particular stretch of road near Brimson, MN reported that this fellow seemed to be lying in wait for them in the ditch, and would come bounding out as they approached and follow their vehicle as it passed by his ambush. Now that is strange behavior for a wolf.
Canis lupus, the gray wolf, can be called by other names; grey wolf, timber wolf, are all the same animal and used to live throughout the contiguous United States. Now there are healthy populations in Northern parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan. Areas of the Rocky Mountains have had some breeding populations restored, and there are recovery populations underway in a couple of southwestern states. According to CNN the timber wolf now only occupies five percent of it traditional range.
The obvious question was raised; is this really a wolf, since some people confuse dogs or coyotes with wolves if they have little experience in identifying them. The experts were called in and a Steve Peterson, of the Lake County Sheriff’s department made an appearance where the blaggard was said to stage the ambush. The long-legged wolf did make an appearance for the former DNR conservation officer and though Peterson told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he was certain he had been called out on a prank, the animal that he saw could definitely be identified as no other than canis lupus, or a timber wolf. As far as the unusual behavior of the wolf, Peterson was mystified.
What neither Peterson, nor anyone else, could not explain, is why a wild wolf would chase after a car just like a dog. Apparently no one is stopping to ask the wolf what he would do if he caught his quarry.
