Episode 143: Algonquin coywolf goes home

In late January 2014, Paula Tough had been out with a friend and their dogs near Algonquin Park when they came across what appeared to be a wolf caught in a snare. The wire had cut into the animals’ leg deeply, and the nearby damage and scat showed he had been caught for at least three or four days.

Paula took extraordinary action – with the help of a friend, she was able to cut the snare, load the animal into a crate and drive it straight down to Aspen Valley Wildlife Centre.

The initial outlook was not good for the animal, who was eventually discovered to be a young Algonquin coywolf. His leg had to be amputated due to the severity of the injury.

But with the hard work of volunteers and staff at Aspen Valley, as well as a whole lot of guts on the part of the coywolf, he was successfully released in the first week of August.

Julie Woodyer of Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary joined Defender Radio to discuss the rehabilitation of the coywolf, his release, and what it means for the future of injured wildlife.