FFWD Weekly
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City by FFWD Staff The Central Rockies Wolf Project was dealt a severe blow recently when one of its most popular wolves was killed. Nakoda, the Alpha female of the Peter Lougheed pack, was shot by a hunter while outside the boundaries of the provincial park that offered her protection. Estimated to be nine or 10 years old, Nakoda had given birth to and protected many pups during her life – including six this year. In 1996, she was radio-collared as part of an initiative to monitor and research the wolf population in the Central Rockies – eight wolves are currently collared under the program. Nakoda also attracted 500 sponsors through the Follow My Paw Prints Program – in return for a donation to support wolf research, conservation and education, people choose one of six wolves and receive information and regular updates on their activities. Carolyn Callaghan, a researcher with the Central Rockies Wolf Project (CRWP), says the impact of Nakoda’s death on her pack will be known better come winter. "Since Nakoda died, the pack has been fragmented – they’re not travelling together. We’re concerned about that." As for the pups, she adds, half would likely survive under normal circumstances. "We can expect three of the six to be dead before the spring. Without Nakoda, their chances might be slightly diminished." Any loss to the Central Rockies wolf population is a major concern – wolves have been eliminated or severely reduced in the region three times in recent history. Callaghan says the greatest threat to wolves is human activity, such as hunting and trapping, railways and highways. However, she stresses that the hunter who shot Nakoda was within his legal rights because Nakoda was outside a protected park. He reported the incident as soon as he discovered the radio collar. Callaghan explains that hunters don’t need a licence to kill a wolf, and there is no limit on the number of wolves they can shoot during the nine-month hunting season. Until recently, they were not required to report the killing of a wolf, but due to a new regulation, they must report any shooting that occurs south of the Bow River. For those working to maintain and protect the wolf population, the lack of protection outside the parks creates a challenge. Callaghan says wolves in the Central Rockies require more territory than in other regions because mountainous habitat is poor and does not produce enough food to keep them alive. "They can’t just live in the protected area because it’s not large enough for them," she says. "How do we protect wolves that have to travel outside of the park to make a living?" The problem is not just limited to the Peter Lougheed pack. Callaghan estimated that there are no more than 85 wolves in the eight packs that live in and around parks in the Central Rockies region – Banff has 50; Peter Lougheed is left with 13 after the death of Nakoda; Kootenay has eight; Highwood is estimated to have seven or eight; Elbow has five; and Yoho is believed to have one wolf left in the entire park. A study is currently under way to determine how long the population can exist at current levels. Callaghan says the wolf density is considered very low, and more protection is necessary or they could be lost to the region again – CRWP is working to find ways to address the challenges. "We’re hoping to find ways to maintain a healthy population of wolves," she says. "We are working with the hunting groups and the minister’s office to investigate the issue." She also notes that not all hunters are opposed to the effort, and some support better conservation measures for wolves in the region. CRWP is also looking for support from the public, and encourages people who are concerned about the issue to contact Environment Minister Halvar Jonson. Support is already coming from students at Alternative High School, which sponsored Nakoda. "The students felt that in one moment their chance to see this wolf in the wild was taken away," says teacher Mary-Lynn McEwen. The students are now researching the hunting laws and gathering facts on wolves so they can write a letter to Jonson. Callaghan says CRWP is in the process of notifying Nakoda’s sponsors of her death, and they will immediately become sponsors of her daughter, Nikita, who often acted as a babysitter for Nakoda’s pups this year.

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