The wolf idea is not as crazy as it seems because the northeastern "coyote" has wolf genes. Dogs can also breed with coyotes and wolves.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/science/28coyotes.html

Being concerned when canines circle rather than flee is also wise: http://www.canada.com/travel/Toronto+ ... attack/2154121/story.html

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Click to enlarge these images:

I was driving through LSP today and definitely saw them. They were scary looking! Whatever they were, they looked like wolves. They most certainly were NOT foxes but could have been coyotes. I tried to snap a picture but was unable to.

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NICE!

We did see a Coyote over the winter in Sandy Hook. If you Google it, you will see that they are rather common in NJ. Though in this case with Liberty State Park -- I might just listen to experts like Croft & itsauror.

-----------------------------------

"What is that?" someone asks.

"Coyotes," a woman ventures.

"Coyotes? No way," a man replies. "Those are dogs."

The yip-howls stop abruptly. Laughing uneasily, the listeners climb hastily into their cars and drive off. The raucous animals move on, leaving behind a profound silence and the question of their existence.

"No doubt they were coyotes," says Tom McFadden, Outdoor Recreation Planner at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, the next day. "We've got them here. I've heard them at home. They're everywhere."
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The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1960 and lies 26 miles west of New York City's Times Square

http://www.njskylands.com/ecocoyotes.htm

http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=52530

I know that someone had an issue about a year and a half ago with the dogs in the park attacking feral cats that belong to a colony there, but I"ve never heard of anyone having trouble with them otherwise.

Guys,
I was just trying to see if anyone else had such an experience and whether it was something to be concerned about. I was unable to be sure of what kind of animal it was since I did not get close enough to retrieve a DNA sample. Maybe those who are critical would like to come back with me so we can. As people have pointed out it doesn't matter whether they are "feral" dogs wolves, coyotes, or dingoes they all pose a threat to humans and pets. I have two rather large dogs that we were in the park with and the "animals" were not at all afraid to make their presence known. When my wife first spotted them she was wise enough to remove our first dog before he noticed. Had he seen them and responded it could have been a bad situation. Unfortunately she lost our keys in the process. We took the dogs across the street, tied them up and went back to look for the keys. Once we did the "animals" came back actually circling us around the parameter of the field. We decided to leave the keys and head back across Morris Pensin Dr. As I stood across the street they continued to come closer. I was surprised as how even a couple passing cars did not seem to bother them. I was able to take some pictures if I can figure out how I will post. I reported the incident to the Park and was told that the park officers would be notified. I had always heard stories of wild dogs living in JC but not once did the Park Office mention that this could be the case. These animals were roughly 80-100 lbs. a couple reddish in color and at least one black/grey

Yeah they are definately not wolves. Wolves need lots of room to roam and support a viable population.

More than likely they are feral dogs or coyotes; probably not foxes though even though foxes can live alongside cities they are pretty solitary.

Guess I have learned something from animal planet.

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Wolf packs, feral dogs, gang members, thugs, criminals, call them what you want.

I stand corrected. Just proves you can't believe everything the internet tells you.

FYI there ARE wolves living in LSP. the last time i was there i managed to snap a photo.

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Wolves are native to NJ, but all the ones living in the wild were killed or pushed out. As a side note, I have heard the Lakota wolf preserve in NJ is worth the trip.

I hope the dingo won't eat the baby.

It might have been a hyena or a dingo.

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Can I adopt?

There are no wolves in Liberty State Park but there is a pack of dogs that has been living in the park for many many years. You can regularly see them around dawn if you're in the area. LHS used to get one or two puppies in each summer that were assumed to be offspring of those dogs.

Wolves aren't native to NJ, and unless someone dumped them there, I doubt what you saw were wolves.

Now coyotes, or feral dogs are a whole other issue.

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/coyote_info.htm


As for the wolves of the two-legged variety. Best to lay traps down for them. Maybe they will gnaw off a leg or two trying to escape.

Where exactly on Morris Pesin were you? Near the parking lots/playgrounds? Closer to the waterfront/Freedom Way? Are you sure they weren't coyotes or feral dogs as a previous poster mentioned? More importantly did you contact the LSP parks department about your sighting? If they were wolves, coyotes or feral dogs, all would pose a threat to dogs, children and adults.

I saw a family of foxes years ago, but never wolves.

Would wolves attack a dog? All the more reason to keep your dog close by.

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Yeah. Why use the correct term? It's better to dumb it down as much as possible. Bring it to Sarah Palin's level.

'feral dogs'. You liberals have such cute words for these wolfpacks that roam around and prey on residents even in our state parks.

LOL. Wolves!!!

What color were they? I have seen packs of feral dogs there in the past few years.

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone here has had a similar experiance to ours. Today while playing with our dogs near LSP we encountered a pack of about 4 wolves on the north side of Morris Pensin Drive. We quickly left the area but the wolves did not shy away instead circled the field we had just left coming very close to the road on which cars were traveling which suprised me. I am wondering if anyone has had a similar experiance.