On August 17, 2011
we received this comment from a viewer:
Sometime within the past two weeks, I was on a day trip to view bears at Hallo Bay. Something in particular disturbed me, and that is the sight of a wild wolf approaching a group of lunch-eaters near the shore of a creek where several huge brownies were napping. The wolf approached the humans, it appeared she came for a handout but was not offered food; after a short time she ambled off. She came across the field. Our guide said, "maybe he'll come back around when we take out our lunches." I see this as the beginning of the end. It saddened me.
By Anonymous on Two Wolves + Camp Update! on 8/17/11Our Response:
That sounds like a scenario that has been happening at South Hallo on day trips. (See photo below) This was taken on one of my trips this year. This pile of driftwood is a place where many do sit to eat their lunch. I ALWAYS tell my clients to be exceptionally careful in eating, and to pick up even the tiniest crumb and give it to me; we don't want any animal to associate us with food. I don't know however, if other operators are as fastidious as we in our al fresco dining experiences. When I tell of this wolf, I am always careful to explain that we believe that it was intentionally baited by a certain photographer who shall remain nameless [yes, we know who this person is and have seen the proof he has used to lure wildlife] in order to get it closer for better portraits. I also usually explain that 'fed animals are dead animals' and that we (Hallo Bay and myself) regard the baiting of animals for the sake of wildlife photography to be strictly against the code of ethical wildlife viewing practices. I am not sure that those were my exact words but assuming for the moment that I am accurately quoted- I believe this client misunderstood my comment to mean that I thought that we should encourage the wolf to come to us. My intent would have been more along the lines of "I wouldn't be surprised if we went up there and sat down for lunch that she would come up and beg from us as well. That wolf is smart and learned a bad lesson well." For the record- I do not believe in altering the natural behavior of any animal for any reason while viewing. If anything I do, or allow my group to do, alters the behavior of the animals that we are viewing in any way (except to shoo off a hungry wolf or a curious bear who has come too close to my comfort zone and safety of our clients) I have failed at my job and compromised my ethics. I apologise for any confusion or misunderstanding my comment has generated.
By: DeWaine Tollefsrud, Hallo Bay Day-Trip Guide
Alaska's Hallo Bay Bear Camp
“We will strive to protect and preserve this beautiful and wildlife
rich wilderness area we are entrusted with. Thus armed with the
tools of education and knowledge we will venture into the realm
of the Great Bear, what was and what must continue to be, surely,
one of the last great cornerstones of this planet.”©
Clint Hlebechuk
Designer of Hallo Bay Camp
Designer of Hallo Bay Camp
Alaska Time
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