Residents of Akershus and Østfold counties have been reporting numerous wolf sightings during the past week. Most describe the wolf they’ve seen as “big and beautiful,” and one wildlife expert thinks it may be the same young wolf out exploring on his own.
“It’s at this time of year that young wolves wander out of the pack they’re born into,” Jan H Wilberg, a predator expert at state wildlife agency Statens Naturoppsyn, told newspaper Aftenposten on Tuesday. They’re called streifulver in Norwegian, and Wilberg said they can be seen in many places because they wander in a large area, also during the daytime.
State broadcaster NRK reported that Cecilie Matre was driving her daugher Live Matre Isaksen to school in the university town of Ås Tuesday morning when a wolf wandered into the road and stood in front of their car for a full minute or two before moving on. “It was really fantastic to have stared right into the eyes of a wolf,” Matre said. “The children were completely calm, it wasn’t frightening and we didn’t feel threatened. It was a real nature experience.”
Cathrine Sakariassen Sandsmark of Drøbak had a similar experience while out driving early Monday morning. She was just outside of town on her way to the airport at Gardermoen when a wolf calmly crossed the road in front of her. “Then it disappeared up into the forest,” she told Aftenposten.
Wolf sightings have also been reported in Mysen, Lillestrøm, Fet, Vestby and elsewhere in Romerike. It remained unclear whether it’s just one wolf who’s not shy or several, with Wilberg noting that only DNA tests could determine that.
newsinenglish.no staff
