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| Escaped wolf was deliberately set free, sanctuary founder claims | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Torak recaptured after school placed on lockdown amid fears the escaped male would be shot | |
| Matthew Weaver | Matthew Weaver |
| Thu 18 Jan 2018 15.39 GMT | Thu 18 Jan 2018 15.39 GMT |
| Last modified on Thu 18 Jan 2018 16.14 GMT | |
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| A wolf that was briefly on the loose near a school in Berkshire escaped after someone deliberately opened a gate, the founder of the sanctuary where it is kept has claimed. | |
| 12-year-old male wolf Torak went missing at 7.45am on Thursday morning, leading to the area around Beenham, near Reading being placed on lockdown for five hours and fears that the animal would be shot by police marksmen. He was recaptured just after 1pm some eight miles away. | |
| Initial reports suggested that a fence on the site had blown down in a gale. But Theresa Palmer, founder of the UK Wolf Conservation Trust, said that she believed Torak had been freed deliberately. | |
| “When I got to the front of the enclosure I found that the gate was open,” she said. “I think somebody deliberately opened the gate. A lot of people don’t particularly believe in having animals in captivity.” | |
| After Torak’s recapture Thames Valley police said school children were free to go outside again. | |
| In a statement on Twitter police said the animal was safely detained by officers and the trust’s keepers in Curridge, 8 miles (13km) from the sanctuary. | |
| At around 8am today the force received a call reporting a wolf had escaped from a sanctuary in Picklepythe Lane, Beenham.The wolf moved to Curridge where it was safely detained by officers and staff from the sanctuary, who had been working to recapture it. | At around 8am today the force received a call reporting a wolf had escaped from a sanctuary in Picklepythe Lane, Beenham.The wolf moved to Curridge where it was safely detained by officers and staff from the sanctuary, who had been working to recapture it. |
| Torak is said to be is a favourite of visitors to the Wolf Sanctuary. Palmer said that he did not appear dangerous at any point. Armed police and animal specialists with tranquilliser guns were on hand, but the wolf was coaxed back into a trailer without being harmed. | |
| Ms Palmer added: “The fact he went through a field of sheep shows he never would have been a danger to the public. Now he’s given up. He’s had his moment of freedom.” | |
| Garry Marvin, a member of the sanctuary’s education and scientific committee and author of a book called Wolf, expressed relief at the news. | |
| “Thank God they didn’t panic and send someone out to shoot him,” he said. | “Thank God they didn’t panic and send someone out to shoot him,” he said. |
| “Torak is very used to seeing people. One of the keepers just called him over and put a collar on him and walked him off to one of their vehicles.” | “Torak is very used to seeing people. One of the keepers just called him over and put a collar on him and walked him off to one of their vehicles.” |
| Before Palmer’s claims that a gate had been deliberately opened, Marvin also expressed his surprise at the idea that a fence could have been damaged by the forced of the wind. | |
| “It must have been exceptionally high winds because the enclosure is state-of-the-art, so this is really unusual,” he said. | “It must have been exceptionally high winds because the enclosure is state-of-the-art, so this is really unusual,” he said. |
| Before it was caught the wolf was photographed crossing the lawn of a back garden at a house in Cold Ash, six miles (9.6km) from the sanctuary. | Before it was caught the wolf was photographed crossing the lawn of a back garden at a house in Cold Ash, six miles (9.6km) from the sanctuary. |
| The picture was taken late in the morning by the husband of a West Berkshire council staff employee, who did not wish to be named. He said the wolf entered his back garden, walked across the lawn, and left via the front garden, without waking his cat. | The picture was taken late in the morning by the husband of a West Berkshire council staff employee, who did not wish to be named. He said the wolf entered his back garden, walked across the lawn, and left via the front garden, without waking his cat. |
| A member of staff got quite a shock this morning when she received this photo of a wolf in her garden! We're pleased to hear it has been found and is being returned to the sanctuary unharmed. pic.twitter.com/Kvs4fl0Yy4 | A member of staff got quite a shock this morning when she received this photo of a wolf in her garden! We're pleased to hear it has been found and is being returned to the sanctuary unharmed. pic.twitter.com/Kvs4fl0Yy4 |
| On the Wolf Sanctuary website Torak was described as a half North American and half European wolf. Torak is “a magnificent wolf, tall and proud with long legs and a handsome, masculine head,” the website says, adding: “during breeding season his deep mournful sounding howl is often heard.” | On the Wolf Sanctuary website Torak was described as a half North American and half European wolf. Torak is “a magnificent wolf, tall and proud with long legs and a handsome, masculine head,” the website says, adding: “during breeding season his deep mournful sounding howl is often heard.” |
| Tony Roe, who lives near the wolf sanctuary, learned of the escape as he was taking his son to Beenham primary school. | Tony Roe, who lives near the wolf sanctuary, learned of the escape as he was taking his son to Beenham primary school. |
| The 53-year-old solicitor told the Guardian: “It’s not every day you take your child to school to be told there’s a wolf on the loose. I took my lad to Beenham primary school at about 8.25 this morning. He’s five so he’s in his first year. | The 53-year-old solicitor told the Guardian: “It’s not every day you take your child to school to be told there’s a wolf on the loose. I took my lad to Beenham primary school at about 8.25 this morning. He’s five so he’s in his first year. |
| “A police officer on the gate said the wind had blown down a fence at the sanctuary and the wolf had escaped.” | “A police officer on the gate said the wind had blown down a fence at the sanctuary and the wolf had escaped.” |
| He added: “Of course I’m relieved the wolf has been found and delighted that it’s ended safely for all concerned, including the wolf. | He added: “Of course I’m relieved the wolf has been found and delighted that it’s ended safely for all concerned, including the wolf. |
| “The village is very supportive of the sanctuary, so much so that the logo for the school is a little wolf. So my son has a logo of a wolf on his school jumper. | “The village is very supportive of the sanctuary, so much so that the logo for the school is a little wolf. So my son has a logo of a wolf on his school jumper. |
| “The parents I talked to were all pretty sanguine. The school was great. They followed all the advice and kept us updated.” | “The parents I talked to were all pretty sanguine. The school was great. They followed all the advice and kept us updated.” |
| While it was on lockdown Beenham Primary School tweeted its thanks to police for keeping it updated on attempts to capture the wolf. | While it was on lockdown Beenham Primary School tweeted its thanks to police for keeping it updated on attempts to capture the wolf. |
| Thank you @TVP_WestBerks for keeping us updated this morning on the escaped wolf. We love having the wolf sanctuary as neighbours and hope this beautiful creature is returned safely soon. #ukwolftrust | Thank you @TVP_WestBerks for keeping us updated this morning on the escaped wolf. We love having the wolf sanctuary as neighbours and hope this beautiful creature is returned safely soon. #ukwolftrust |
| Before its capture wolf experts had urged the police not to shoot the animal as it poses little danger to the public. Thames Valley police was also inundated with messages from animal lovers asking police to spare its life. | Before its capture wolf experts had urged the police not to shoot the animal as it poses little danger to the public. Thames Valley police was also inundated with messages from animal lovers asking police to spare its life. |
| The safe capture of the wolf comes two months after Lilith the lynx was shot dead after escaping from a private zoo in west Wales. | The safe capture of the wolf comes two months after Lilith the lynx was shot dead after escaping from a private zoo in west Wales. |
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