A video surfaced last week showing what appeared to be a Gray Wolf walking through a wooded area in the Black Hills. Officials with the South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks Department say the video is accurate.
John Kanta is the Rapid City Wildlife Manager for Game, Fish, and Parks. He says even though it’s not normal to see a wolf in South Dakota, the video footage looks consistent with the Black Hills habitat.
“I would consider wolves to be rare in South Dakota. To date, the only information or evidence that we’ve collected would suggest that we only have transient wolves coming through South Dakota," Kanta says. "Typically just a young animal, predominately young males, who are wondering through South Dakota. We have no evidence of a pack of wolves or a breeding population of wolves."
Kanta says South Dakotans should NOT be worried about the video footage, as the animal is likely just passing through - looking for a mate. The federal government protects wolves, so it’s illegal to cause them any harm. For more information and to see the video of this wolf, click here.