Wolves sighted

by Liz, Mason, several readers
(Bailieboro, Grand River area, York Region, near highway 407)

On December 17, a huge white wolf crossed the road in front of me as we were driving eastbound to Bailieboro from Millbrook on the main road. It looked right at me as I slowed the car down. I couldn't believe the size and have never seen this animal before. This region in Cavan Monaghan county, about 25km south of Peterborough is rich with wild deer. I googled wolf pictures and realized that the exact match is known as the Eastern White wolf.

January 14 2021 - Mason wrote to tell us ... just saw a wolf in my back yard. We live on the Grand River beside the GCC. Tonight our dog started racing around the house and barking. He went to the back door and started pawing to get out. He is a bull mastiff. We were going to let him out and looked into the yard. Our house is on a large hill and we can see the lower unfenced area that abuts the woods and river, there also is a large clearing of grass in the middle. It’s January 2021 and there is snow on the ground. There was something in the middle of the clearing. It’s coat was almost black with a large bushy tail he wasn’t moving and has his nose low to the ground. We turned on the spotlight to see what it was and if it was alive as it wasn’t moving. The animal lifted its head and looked at us. It looked at us for a few seconds and ran through the yard out of sight. It’s tail was straight out behind it. We have had a herd of deer grazing the last week or so under the pine trees that has no snow. It was too large to be a coyote and it’s fur was too dark. I’m pretty sure it was a wolf. I see coyotes all the time over here and that guy did not look like a coyote!

Jan 25 2021. One of our readers said ... I had a close call with two large canids at 14th Ave / Donald Cousens Parkway at around 4:00 am coming along 14th Ave, about 300 meters before the Donald Cousens Parkway intersection I noticed a dog run into the road and slowed down and had a large, gray and white white a bit of black, broad and high-pionted ears, wide shoulder narrower hips, bushy long tail. VERY large paws too. I own a 125 lbs Newfoundland dog, and this K9 had some size on my dog and still larger paws than mine. What very much looked like a wolf. This first one slowly ran in front of me while I slowed down and a second even larger, intimidatingly large, bolted in front of my car, very narrowly avoiding my front side, I slammed my breaks and came to a full stop a bit before the rail-road tracks, and very similar colors a bit more black coat, immediate size difference, ran in front of my car just passed my hood, than turned back and walked around and behind my car and off into the eastern side field/bushes, and they both ran off together. I have seen and know what the local area average coyotes look like and this was not that. I've also seen wolves (at the zoos) and in person more than a handful of times in Northern British Columbia. Similar but not exact enough to reasonably say I for sure saw a wolf in Markham / Stoufville area, but perhaps they might have been a "coywolves" crossbreed??Has anyone else ever seen anything like this in the the Uxbridge, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Markham, Pickering Area, I know its unlikely but anything can happen. I know wolves prefer secluded areas so it seems extra odd to have them run across the road, right in front of a car, check me out and run off but would that mean it was more likely to be the crossbreed option, otherwise these coyotes were just by chance the largest most wolf-looking canines I've ever seen so far. Anyone else seen anything similar in their days?

One of our readers said ... Feb 1st 2021 around Bur Oak Ave and Dogwood Street in York Region. I came out of my garage to walk to my car and saw the wolf clear as day, it was as the others describes in appearance (grey but salty). I’ve seen coyotes and this one was massive, and I’m comparing it to a German Shepherd. It was moving at a steady pace like it was on a mission. After realizing that it could come attack me I ran inside so I couldn’t get a picture but I know you won’t believe it until you see it!

Feb 21 2021 Another reader said ... By the bridge at the end of the Huntington Trail (by the creek) we spotted 2 Coywolves headed north. They headed under the tunnel beneath Hwy 407. The colour was white and brown/grey. They were quite a sight!

One of our readers hear Wolves near Cyrville, Ontario ... we've heard coyotes here now and again. They generally have higher pitched howls and yaps. But lately we've heard wolves, with longer, lower pitched howls. Usually between 11pm - 2am. Incredibly haunting and beautiful. We also saw what looked like a wild dog, black and grey, but could have been a coywolf or wolf pup. Definitely not a coyote.

Another reader wrote ... my boyfriend told me when he left for work this morning, January 3rd 2021, he heard two wolves howling at each other. This happened around 4:00 am in Katimavik / Hazeldean. He also mentioned that it sounded like it was coming from down where Sobeys is on Hazeldean Road and Terry Fox Drive.