The large timber wolf which has been confined at Island Park for past few weeks made its escape Saturday and present is enjoying its liberty somewhere in the vicinity of Defiance.
That its absence from island Park will soon be noticed there is little doubt. Reports of some strange wild beast making depredation in this or other counties will soon be made. Sheep, hogs calves, poultry, etc., will suffer until the animal has been recaptured or kill.
A splendid opportunity presents itself to local hunters to take their dogs and have a wolf hunt. They could probably locate the animal now before it gets very far from Defiance.
The wolf was captured in Missouri by Ezra Blanchard as a gift to the Island Park Company. It was taken to the resort to be exhibited in the menagarie. When it was received a few weeks ago, there was no secure place on the island on which to keep him, and a new cage was built by Del Wirebaugh. In putting on the roof, material ran short and a small hole in one of the corners was left open. Mr. Wirebaugh was of the opinion that the beast could not squeeze through this small opening and of course felt no apprehension when leaving the grounds.
Saturday morning Mr. Wirebaugh had occasion to leave, and while he was gone the wolf demonstrated that he really knew what he could do better than his keeper. He crawled through this hole and where he is now is more than anyone can tell. That he used this small aperture as a means for escape is evident, for a quantity of hair was found on its side.
The habits of this wolf are interesting. When caged, any opening large enough to admit the passage of the head, will be amply large enough for escape, even though the wolf would be compelled to eat its own flesh. This has been demonstrated when one is caught in a trap. If not taken out immediately the leg caught will be chewed off by the captured animal. They feed on flesh, and will carry off sheep, calves, poultry, etc., and are a source of constant annoyance to western farmers.
When the escape was noticed Saturday, the park was thoroughly searched but no traces of the beast could be found. It is probable that it swam the river across the river and is now somewhere in the woods in the country. The gift was considered a valuable one and its loss is regretted.
A splendid opportunity presents itself to local hunters to take their dogs and have a wolf hunt. They could probably locate the animal now before it gets very far from Defiance.
The wolf was captured in Missouri by Ezra Blanchard as a gift to the Island Park Company. It was taken to the resort to be exhibited in the menagarie. When it was received a few weeks ago, there was no secure place on the island on which to keep him, and a new cage was built by Del Wirebaugh. In putting on the roof, material ran short and a small hole in one of the corners was left open. Mr. Wirebaugh was of the opinion that the beast could not squeeze through this small opening and of course felt no apprehension when leaving the grounds.
Saturday morning Mr. Wirebaugh had occasion to leave, and while he was gone the wolf demonstrated that he really knew what he could do better than his keeper. He crawled through this hole and where he is now is more than anyone can tell. That he used this small aperture as a means for escape is evident, for a quantity of hair was found on its side.
The habits of this wolf are interesting. When caged, any opening large enough to admit the passage of the head, will be amply large enough for escape, even though the wolf would be compelled to eat its own flesh. This has been demonstrated when one is caught in a trap. If not taken out immediately the leg caught will be chewed off by the captured animal. They feed on flesh, and will carry off sheep, calves, poultry, etc., and are a source of constant annoyance to western farmers.
When the escape was noticed Saturday, the park was thoroughly searched but no traces of the beast could be found. It is probable that it swam the river across the river and is now somewhere in the woods in the country. The gift was considered a valuable one and its loss is regretted.
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