Wolf pack concerning residents of Gameti, N.W.T.

There is growing concern over the number of wolves roaming near the community of Gameti, N.W.T.

A pack has been hanging around the dump and some say they've even been seen in the community.

Joe Zoe, a local trapper in the Tlicho community of about 300 people, said it's the wolves’ natural instinct to hunt that worries him.

"If the caribou is not around, they kill a dog," he said.

Wolves depend mostly on large herds of moose, bison, and caribou. But caribou have been scarce in the region over the past few years, so the wolves have been feeding off food scraps.

"They can find a meal pretty quick at the dump and I guess they're starting to feel comfortable feeding at the dump right now," said Zoe.

An officer with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources was in the community recently and destroyed three wolves. However, that hasn't eliminated the problem.

"The prices for wolf pelts right now are pretty good. It’s $400 for a properly dressed wolf hide and the biologist will buy the carcass for $200 as well, so there’s some incentive in that way," said Lawrence Lewis, a senior wildlife officer based in the community of Behchoko.

However, most Tlicho won’t hunt wolves because they believe it is a bad omen to kill them.

Zoe said burning the community’s trash could be another solution.

"If the dump were a little bit further out of the community — [that] will be good because that’s where they get their food from every day for the pups."

Lewis said they are willing to go back into Gameti if needed.