Wildlife officers kill wolf near Yellowknife's Ranney Hill, days after hiker bitten

Wildlife officials in Yellowknife have confirmed that they killed a wolf in the Ranney Hill area, days after a woman was bit by a wolf on the walking trail.

"We are working to determine if this is the same wolf that was involved in the incident on Sunday,"Shannon Grafwith the Department of Environment and Climate Change wrote in an email to CBCNews on Wednesday.

"Another wolf was also sighted and officers will continue to patrol the surrounding areas on Ingraham Trail."

The Ranney Hill trail was closed on the weekend after officials received reports of the incident. Officialssecured the area and put up signsto warn people to stay out of the area near Vee Lake.

Catherine Pigott, a retired CBC North producer, confirmed that she was the person who was bit. She said she waswalking herdog when the wolf approached and confronted themright on the pathway. Pigott confirmed some details of the encounter to CBC via email.

She said she was making noise in case of bears, but the wolf took her by surprise,was immediately aggressive, and more interested in her than her dog. She fended the wolf off by hitting it around the face with the clip end of her dog leash.Pigott said she did this while walking backward and keeping the animal facing heras she retreatedup the trail toward the parking lot.

It was at one point when she turned her back that the wolf lunged and bit her backside. She has puncture wounds and bruises from the bite.

The territorial government's wildlife veterinarianNaima Juthatold CBC News earlier this weekit was a "significantbite."

Juthaexamines injuries related to wildlife attacks and tries to figure outwhy an attackmight have happened. She said there are a lot of questions that still need to be answered to explain this wolf's behaviour.

Wildlife officers are continuingto patrol the surrounding area, and Graf said they're asking the public to stay off the Vee Lake trails and be cautious of all surrounding areas, including the popular Yellowknife River day use area.

Whilewolf encounters are rare, wildlife officials say people who come in contact with a wolf should raise their arms to make themselves appear larger, act aggressively, make noise and throw objects, and notturn their back on the animal or run.People should maintain eye contact with a wolf and back away slowly and calmly.