A truly lone wolf

I left Jasper early in the morning heading south along the Highway 93, enjoying the empty road given the time of day.  I had hopes of finding a bear or two along the forest’s edge during my drive through the park (and did sight a very handsome fellow a little later).  I had gone about ten kilometres out of town and then felt compelled to retrace my path, thinking I would drive back to last bridge before town and then head south again.  Turning back, I went a couple of kilometres and then saw an animal quite a distance straight ahead.

I pulled off to the shoulder and levelled my long lens quickly.  I was happy to have a composition with the wolf in the middle of the road with the surrounding landscape visible.  I watched the wolf trot steadily down the middle and shoulders of the highway for several minutes.

She had a route in mind and stayed on it.  She paused near an opening to the river, and I had thought she might go down to the water.  That wasn’t her path as she carried along the road, passing me on the other side and stopping to give me a stare before moving on.  At close range I noticed her tracking collar and it seemed like she had been freshly shaved around the neck so I wonder if she had been fitted with a new collar and was now catching back up with her pack.

Wolves are one of my unicorn animals.  That is to say that I don’t see them anywhere near as often as I would like.  So it is very special when I do get to spend time with one.  Especially one as pretty as this wolf!