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The roles of harvesting, disease, and prey availability in limiting the population growth of wolves in Algonquin Provincial Park
Interesting Facts
- While the survival rates of these wolves have increased, about the same numbers of wolves still reside in the park. This means Algonquin Provincial Park may now be acting as a source for the spread of this threatened species
- Present population trends are indicative of naturally regulated wolf population
- The harvest ban allows a naturally functioning wolf-prey system, with minimal human influence
- The harvest ban also seems to allow wolves to exclude coyotes and minimize hybridization, the weakening of the eastern wolf gene pool
Lead Researcher:
Dr. Brent R. Patterson
Email:
Phone:
705-755-1553
Project Objectives:
This project will measure the effects of the Algonquin Provincial Park harvest ban on wolf population dynamics in and around the park. To meet this objective, we placed radio-collars (or radio ear-tags/ transmitters for some wolf pups) on 208 different wolves, including 78 pups, between August 2002 and January 2007. We monitored 16 packs in and around Algonquin Park during winter 2003, and approximately 25 packs during the winters of 2004-07.
Algonquin Park is the largest protected area for wolves in Ontario. However, despite being protected within the Park’s boundaries, many animals from the eastern half of Algonquin were shot, snared or hit by cars while following migratory deer out of the Park in winter during the 1980s and 90s. This killing (up to 30% of collared wolves per winter) was cause for concern, and in November 2001, Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources announced a moratorium on all wolf hunting and trapping in the 40 townships surrounding Algonquin Park. To assess the effects of this moratorium, this project was put in place. The final report from this project will be available in the spring of 2008.
Collaborators and Participants:
- Dennis Murray, Trent University
- Kenneth Mills, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, WRDS
- Karen Loveless, Msc. candidate, Trent University
- Derek Meier, Former Msc. candidate, Trent University
- Linda Rutledge, PhD. candidate, Trent University, NRDPFC
Funding Partners:
Related Links
Ontario Parks
(Primary source of financial and in kind support)The Friends of Algonquin Park
(financial and in kind support)Dr. Dennis Murray
(co-supervision of graduate students involved in project)Natural Resources DNA Profiling and Forensic Centre
(financial and in kind support)- Watershed Ecosystems Graduate Program at Trent University (Graduate student support)
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
(NSERC –funding for Phd candidate Linda Rutledge
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Last Modified: June 27, 2008