Last wolf that escaped Greater Vancouver Zoo found safe, humane society blasts facility

A second wolf that was missing after an escape from the Greater Vancouver Zoo earlier this week has been found safe. On Thursday, the zoo said another wolf was found dead, following what appeared to be a deliberate release.

The Vancouver Humane Society, meantime, is blasting the zoo for its treatment of animals, calling it “another incident of animal suffering.”

“[We are] very saddened to hear about the death of Chia, one of the wolves that had escaped from the Greater Vancouver Zoo earlier this week,” said Emily Pickett with the organization.

Chia was a three-year-old female grey wolf. Her remains were found on the side of the road.

On Friday morning, the Greater Vancouver Zoo said Tempest, a one-year-old female, was found.

“We were able to retriever her safely near the property of the Greater Vancouver Zoo and return her to her wolf pack,” the zoo said in an online statement.

The Vancouver Humane Society has called the whole situation “another incident of animal suffering.”

“The last few years, a jaguar bit a zoo employee. That was late last year. A member of the public raised concerns about an emaciated moose that they saw at the zoo in 2020. That animal was later euthanized. In 2019, a black bear bit a child, who needed to be airlifted to the hospital,” Pickett listed.

She says the humane society has made recommendations, but they “have not been acted on.”

“Thing like a lack of space for animals, small or inappropriate enclosures, animals being kept in unnatural social groupings. Another major concern is the keeping of exotic animals in inappropriate climates and conditions,” Pickett explained.

“Another issue is the lack of enrichment. That is really important for allowing those animals to engage in natural behaviors and natural movements. In fact, the previous report that was put together in 2019 highlighted that lack of complexity and enrichment in the wolf enclosure.”

Related articles:

• Wolf found dead, another still missing after Greater Vancouver Zoo escape

• Greater Vancouver Zoo still closed following wolf escape

• Wolves escape enclosure at Greater Vancouver Zoo, at least 1 still at large

Menita Prasad, deputy general manager of the Greater Vancouver Zoo, says both the wolf enclosure and the zoo’s perimeter fence had been deliberately cut on Tuesday, allowing the wolves to escape. The RCMP are investigating the incident. Zoo staff and conservation officers were involved in the search for the wolves following their escape.

Including Tempest, there are 14 grey wolves at the Greater Vancouver Zoo.

The facility has been closed since Tuesday. It is expected to re-open to the public on Saturday.

With files from Angela Bower, Martin MacMahon, Sonia Aslam, Andrew Cowie, Charlie Carey, and The Canadian Press