H O W L I N G S

As of April 17, 2014, the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and

Natural Resource Operations released the Province's wolf

management plan.

There were no significant changes made to the plan since the

original draft was released a year prior. As the outline goes,

hunting seasons will continue to range from 9 months to year

BC Wolf Management Plan ...where to from here? Volume 1, Issue 2, Fall 2014

Eastern Wolf Update By Special Guest Hannah Barron,

Director of Wolf Awareness Inc. and Wolves Ontario - Earthroots

Eastern Canada is home to two species of wolves, the widely

known grey wolf and the lesser known eastern wolf that inhabits

parts of Ontario and Quebec. Algonquin Provincial Park is

known as a stronghold for the population. Algonquin's eastern

wolves have been studied fairly intensively since the 1950s,

and recent research shows that they stabilized both numerically

and in their iconic family-based pack structure since the imple-

mentation of a hunting and trapping ban in the townships that

surround the park in 2001. EASTERN WOLF PHOTOS: Mary Theberge

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Questions or comments? E-mail us at WolfAwareness@gmail.com

Tee’s & Hoodies! “Wolf Wear For Coexistence”

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Saskatchewan announced its plan to kill more wolves this fall

in response to complaints about increased rates of livestock

losses. An additional wolf hunt will run from September 15th

to March 31st, 2015, restricted to Wildlife Management Zone

49. In addition to the regular hunting permits, there will be an

extra 100 licenses available.

At WAI we believe this is a senseless act, especially if

Saskatchewan Cull

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“We have doomed the wolf not for what it is, but for what we deliberately

and mistakenly perceive it to be –the mythologized

epitome of a savage ruth-less killer – which is, in reality, no more than a

reflected image of ourself.”

― Farley Mowat, Never Cry Wolf

BEST wolf quotes of all time...

Through education, dispelling the myths.

In celebration of BC wolves!

HOWLINGS

Wolf Awareness Inc. is a non-profit, charitable foundation

(Canada Revenue Agency Charitable number 119301851

RR001) whose primary goal is to foster an awareness and

appreciation of wolf ecology and conservation. We achieve

our mission through the development and implementation of

educational programs and by supporting scientific wolf re-

search. WAI functions as a critical link between scientists and

the public, using the results of scientific research as a knowl-

edge base for educational and public outreach programs.

Did you know that wolves can constrict their peripheral blood

vessels to help conserve heat?

Well, we can do that too, keeping our core temperature (and

vital organs) all the more cozy.

But wait, it gets better! Wolves have also evolved the ability

to use arterial countercurrent exchange, which means the

arteries and veins deep in their bodies pass close enough to

each-other to allow for heat transfer, re-warming blood from

the extremities before it reaches the body core. This is effi-

cient as long as temperatures are above tissue-freezing, such

as in the Arctic.

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UCOMING EVENT

2 Talking Wolves

Environmental writer Todd

Wilkinson and Bob Ferris,

ED of Cascadia Wildlands,

are touring for Conservation

this fall. The book and lec-

ture tour began in the San

Francisco Bay Area and will

ends in Vancouver, BC early

November. Learn More.

Wolf Fast Facts: THERMOREGULATION

Hoodies WAI Members $45 Non-members $55

Tee’s

WAI Members $27 Non-members $35

PLUS shipping & taxes

Hoodies $10 Tee’s $5

Order securely ON-LINE using

Pay-Pal or CREDIT CARD

Or email money exchange wolfawareness@gmail.com

Or snail mail us your order with a

cheque: Wolf Awareness Inc. 21-514 Anderson Rd. Golden, BC V0A 1H1

Don’t forget to let us know the size and colour you want! Tee’s are currently available in grey, teal, olive, and deep blue. Hoodie’s have a zip-front and come in grey only.

Spreading the Word for Wolves

DONATIONS gratefully accepted

Wolf Awareness Inc.

Wolf Conservation Through

Research and Education

WolfAwarenessInc.org

MAIN OFFICE: RR3, Ailsa Craig, ON Canada N0M 1A0 SATELLITE OFFICE/CORRESPONDENCE: 21-514 Anderson Rd, Golden, BC Canada V0A 1H1 Phone: 250.272.HOWL (4695) Email: WolfAwareness@gmail.com

Have you got a question? Have you got something to share with other Wolf

Awareness Members? Don’t be shy! We want to hear from you!

Check out Wildlife Artist and WAI sup-porter Elke’s vanBreemen’s surreal artwork at elkeswildlife.com/

MORE DETAILS…. BC PLAN

round, with many areas hav-

ing no bag limits, no manda-

tory reporting, and no harvest

quotas.

Landowners with livestock

concerns will continue to be

permitted to hunt and trap

wolves on their own property,

although there is no evidence

to show that indiscriminately

killing wolves works as a

long-term solution to reducing

livestock losses.

One of the objectives listed in

the plan is to “Control specific

populations where wolves are preventing caribou recovery”. This is really a continuation of predator

“control” that began in 2001. To date the wolves that have been sterilized or killed have provided no

evidence of more caribou. In the meantime, activities that compromise the habitat of sensitive caribou

and many other species carry on.

The number of wolves killed in BC has been increasing over the years. There is no discussion within

the current management plan about the quality of life for wolves nor of what it actually means to disrupt

the social bond of a pack or extended family. The plan does not mention the evolutionary impact of

reduced genetic diversity in wolf

populations that are forced to suffer

such high levels of human caused

mortality. Wolves may remain as a

species in BC for a long time due to

their resilient nature, but most ecolo-

gists and conservationists would

judge this as an impoverished eco-

system if wolves are not able to live

out their lives with family members.

Management plans for wolves must

consider more than mere numbers if

there is any intention of true conser-

vation. How can we ensure this in

the near future?

There are many environmental con-

cerns in current times. Often, these challenges can feel overwhelming to us. However, me must re-

member that there are many ways that each of us can make a positive difference! At WAI, we believe

that sharing knowledge and information about the intrinsic values and irreplaceable ecological roles of

wolves and large carnivores is a step in the right direction. We count on your support to help us create

a healthy future for wild wolves!

MORE DETAILS…

THERMOREGULATION

Hold on, the adaptations for extremes

have not run out yet! The arteries in the

toes of wolves are unbranched, directing

blood flow straight through the foot to a

cutaneous pad on the surface, which

maintains a foot temperature of just above

freezing (-1ₒC). In this way, heat

exchange (or loss) is limited to the

surface, rather than throughout the entire

foot where tissue and muscle damage

could occur.

Also note that wolf feet have many fewer sweat glands than dogs, about 80% fewer in fact. This may

be in order to minimize laminitis caused by frozen sweat...or snow-balls between the toes!

Wan t to Bring Wolf A wareness i nto a School or Community Event

Near You?

WAI would love to visit your community to deliver

i. curriculum-based education programs for schools,

Ii. public presentations tailored to groups of all ages,

Iii. informative booths at special events.

Presentations will reinforce that people are part of ecosystems; posing problems & solutions.

The goal is to foster an appreciation for and understanding of the uniqueness, resilience and deli-

cacy of naturally functioning ecosystems. Participants gain a sense of stewardship. Programs

are designed to offer a unique glimpse at how large carnivores can effect the health of entire eco-

systems.

Will we be one of the first provinces or even countries to deliberately save fundamental pieces of

our natural fabric? For wolves, whose territory requirements can be up to 3,000 square kilome-

ters for a single pack in the Central Rocky mountains, there is no exception. By protecting the

habitat requirements of wide-ranging species such as wolves, ecological integrity can be main-

tained throughout the functioning ecosystem.

Many countries around the world have lost this opportunity and are spending lots of time and

money to learn about & restore natural ecosystems. We don’t have to “unscramble the egg". We

can choose to protect this “ark for wildlife”. YOU can help to ensure that we do.

Help us SPREAD WOLF AWARENESS by organizing or hosting a

presentation, film screening, discussion night, or educational

workshop.

Contact: WolfAwareness@gmail.com

MORE DETAILS… Eastern Wolf Update

Despite the lengthy studies on

this unique population of wolves,

several questions remain unan-

swered: How many eastern

wolves are there in Ontario and

Quebec? What is the exact distri-

bution of the species? To what

extent do hunting and trapping

efforts jeopardize the eastern wolf

population?

Eastern wolves are listed as a

Species of Special Concern both

federally and provincially. Cur-

rently, a federal species-at-risk

status re-assessment is under-

way to determine whether protection should be increased. This is not surprising given that the Ontario

Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) estimates the population to be approximately 500 animals. Hy-

bridization with eastern coyotes and grey wolves has been a well documented concern and the threat of

hybridization appears to increase in areas of higher exploitation. Furthermore, eastern wolves are more

susceptible to human threats compared to the other canids in Ontario, highlighting the need for in-

creased protection. Given that eastern wolves and coyotes are similarly sized and often indistinguish-

able by sight, hunting and trapping of coyotes limits the dispersal of eastern wolves beyond protected

areas. Unfortunately, OMNR does not collect specific information on the number of eastern wolves

killed by hunters and trappers - eastern wolves can only be identified with certainty using genetic profil-

ing techniques.

Pending the status re-assessment now planned for

April 2015, either a Management or Recovery Plan will

be mandated by Canada's Species at Risk Act. In an

effort to mitigate human threats to the eastern wolf

population until the plan is implemented, the precau-

tionary principle warrants a moratorium of hunting and

trapping of coyotes and wolves in all suspected east-

ern wolf range. Due to the conflicting interests of hunt-

ers, trappers and farmers who are at risk of losing live-

stock to coyote and wolf predation, only immense pub-

lic pressure can change existing policies that govern

wolf management in Ontario. Add your voice to the

chorus and howl for better eastern wolf protection!

Please send a letter to Premier Wynne and OMNR

senior staff and let them know how you feel about protecting eastern wolves. . You can find a template

letter demanding an end to the snaring of wolves in Ontario at http://earthroots.org/wolf-snare-action.

MORE DETAILS….SASKATCHEWAN CHOICES

preventative husbandry practices are not used. Due to historical values and differing social and cultural

views, (e.g. urban versus rural) a polarity of opinions exist around wolf management. The spectrum

ranges from those who want to

protect livestock to those who

want to protect wolves. Both ob-

jectives could be met simultane-

ously through working together

cooperatively. For example, a

large amount of money has been

invested within parts of North

America to kill wolves in the

name of livestock protection. In

areas where research has been

done, increases in the numbers

of wolves killed does not result

in decreases of wolf livestock

conflict but may actually in-

crease depredations. When producers record livestock deaths, results consistently show that preven-

tion and protecting livestock from wolves reduces conflicts. Prevention of livestock conflict could there-

fore offer an effective tool for addressing the problem of livestock depredation on a local scale, while

fostering nature conservation .

As conservation of biodiversity has become a global issue, efforts have been made to restore wolf and

other predator populations which are understood to be critical in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Hu-

mans have been raising cattle in the Americas for 500 years. Wolves were present on the landscape

long before this, but were extirpated in many areas of Canada through targeted killing during the

1950's. In recent times, wolves have been more accepted in returning to their former habitat as public

perceptions have shifted. Ranchers accustomed to living in predator-free landscapes must again learn

how to effectively prevent depredation. It is imperative that livestock producers have all the necessary

and available tools to effectively coexist with wolves. You can be sure that we sent a copy of WAI’s

Rancher’s Guide to Coexistence to Saskatchewan’s Minister of Environment. To submit your own com-

ments to Saskatchewan’s MOE, contact env.minister@gov.sk.ca

Image of cattle fladry, courtesy of N. Lance

Join our Wolf Conse r vat ion Team! F o l l o w M y P a w P r i n t s P r o g r a m ©

You can play an active role in wolf conservation by becoming a sponsor of our Chilcotin Wolf

Feeding Ecology Research Project. An annual sponsorship is possible for WAI Members (WAI

Membership is lifetime!). Sponsors receive quarterly updates about the research project and the

wolves involved. A single sponsorship is $40, group/class sponsorships are $50 and corporate

sponsorships are $100.

Note: All sponsors will receive a certificate recognizing their important contribution.

Photo Peter A. Dettling