The Wolves of Algonquin Provincial Park Report - This report is in .pdf format. Adobe Reader required - available free from Adobe.

The following is the response of the Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency to the Wolves of Algonquin Provincial Park Report:

March 13, 2001

Cameron Mack, Acting Director
Ministry of Natural Resources
Fish and Wildlife Branch
P.O. Box 7000
Peterborough, Ontario
K9J 8M5

Dear Sir:

On behalf of the Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency (OSMA), we would like to thank you for the opportunity to comment on The Wolves of Algonquin Provincial Park report. The Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency is a producer-run organization, representing Ontario's 4300 sheep producers. As the agricultural sector most affected by predation, we welcome the opportunity to review this report and provide input into the recommendations being made to the Minister of Natural Resources.

It is important to the sheep industry that the Algonquin Wolf be clearly identified and separated in regulations from the Coyote; a species that has probably only reached Ontario in the last hundred years. At present, the wolf is not a serious predator to sheep, while the coyote frequently predates sheep and cattle.

While it is the premise of this report that steps must be taken to protect the Algonquin Wolf from human-caused mortality, it is OSMA's position that this is not the most significant risk. As it has been rightfully pointed out in the report, the steady decline in the wolf population can be attributed very much to a change in habitat and prey species within the Park. In the past, abundant deer and beaver populations allowed the wolves to prosper, despite efforts to eliminate them. As the Algonquin Park forest has matured, there has been a steady decline in the deer and beaver populations within the Park as a less suitable food supply remains for these, the natural prey of the Algonquin Wolf. With a dwindling food supply within the Park boundaries, this has not only caused the wolf to be at risk, it has caused the Algonquin Wolf to expand its search for an adequate food supply, outside of the Park.

It is our understanding that it is the intent of this Advisory Group to protect the Algonquin Wolf within the boundaries of Algonquin Park, and we would suggest greater efforts be placed upon ensuring that appropriate habitat and prey exist within the park, rather than focusing on reducing human-caused mortality outside of park boundaries, which is clearly not the single most limiting factor. Despite approximately 65 years of a previous policy to attempt to eradicate these wolves to protect the deer and moose within the Park, the population of those wolves fluctuated within a consistent population range.

OSMA has reviewed the Wolves of Algonquin Provincial Park report in detail and wish to make comment on the recommendations as outlined in the report:

Recommendation 1
OSMA supports recommendation 5.2.1. (1) with the understanding and clarification that the recommendation to confirm closure of hunting and trapping of wolves in the Townships of Bruton and Clyde and the portion of the Township of Eyre within Algonquin Provincial Park refers specifically to wolves - or Canis lycaon and Canis lupus lycaon and not the coyote. - Canis latrans, a non-native species to Ontario.

Recommendation 2 & 3
OSMA supports recommendations 2 and 3 with respect to agreements and settlements with Algonquin First Nation of Ontario and zero quota on aboriginal registered traplines.

Recommendation 4
OSMA supports recommendation 4 and strongly encourages the Algonquin Park Advisory Group to establish defined policy and protocol for trapping of the Algonquin Wolf for research purposes. It has been determined anecdotally that 27 of the Algonquin Wolf were accidentally killed through a research project conducted in the Park over a period of 5 years. This number far exceeds the 18 which were killed off-site by hunters outside the park. It would appear that research has been a much greater threat to the Algonquin Wolf than hunters and trappers outside of the park boundaries.

Recommendation 5
OSMA supports recommendation 5.2.2 (5) to delegate regulatory power to the Superintendent of Algonquin Park to control activities by humans near wolf dens with the clarification that this authority exists only within park boundaries.

Recommendation 6
OSMA supports fully the recommendation to ensure clear Park guidelines to deal with fearless wolves, placing priority on human safety.

Recommendation 7, 8, 9 & 10

OSMA fully supports these recommendations which deal specifically with mechanisms to address the development and maintenance of natural prey species within the Algonquin Park boundaries. OSMA is supportive of the Algonquin Wolf Advisory Group's efforts to address the declining population of the Algonquin wolf. As previously stated, it is our position that prey and habitat are the two most limiting factors for the wolves of Algonquin Park. With adequate food supply and habitat within Park boundaries, it is our expectation that the Algonquin Wolf would be deterred from leaving the park boundaries and preying on livestock to supplement their diets. Radio-collared wolves have reportedly been killed as problem predators, preying on domestic livestock up to 150 km or more outside the Park boundaries.

Recommendation 11 & 12
OSMA supports these recommendations to develop an established protocol for evaluation and management of a long-term effective monitoring of wolf population trends as well as the development of a long-term continuous monitoring of deer, moose and beaver populations, the Algonquin Wolf's natural prey. Scientific, fact-based information, rather than assumptions, is crucial in order that appropriate measures can be taken to ensure that the habitat within Algonquin Park is appropriate to foster the desired Algonquin Wolf population.

Recommendation 13
OSMA supports the recommendation that on-going assessment and introgression of other Canis species including Eastern Canadian Wolf (Canis lupus lycaon) or Algonquin Wolf (Canis lycaon) or Canis lupus (Gray Wolf) with Canis latrans (Coyote) is necessary. While OSMA supports the protection of the Wolf which has been of limited threat to our sheep flocks, the Coyote has caused significant losses to the livestock industry throughout the province. An estimated $1.74 million dollars in damages have been paid out through the compensation program over the past 5 years.

Recommendation 14 & 15
OSMA supports scientific and fact-based education and interpretive programs that address the status, role and conservation of wolves in Algonquin Park. It is critical that these programs include information regarding the Algonquin Wolf as a carnivore, and that this species relies upon a natural instinct to kill to survive. Although this may not be an attractive image to portray to visitors to Algonquin Park, it is important that a fair and accurate image of the wolf as a predator be presented.

Recommendation 16
OSMA supports the recommendation that the Algonquin Wolf Advisory Group meet annually and report findings to the Minister of Natural Resources and to the public, but strongly recommends that the Group include representation from the livestock industry.

Recommendation 17
OSMA supports this recommendation to establish an Algonquin Science Cooperative to foster studies addressing the natural sustainability of park ecosystems, including wolves and their prey.

Recommendation 18.1
OSMA is in support of maintaining the December 15 to March 31 closed season for hunting and trapping of wolves in the Townships of Hagarty, Richards and Burns.

Recommendation 18.2
While the OSMA could support recommendation 18.2, that a closed season for hunting and trapping of wolves be extended year-round to include townships Finlayson, McClintock, Livingstone and Airy, we recognize that the impact would most certainly be increased predator problems for sheep producers living in those specific or adjacent areas. Producers would be subjected to increased losses despite undertaking best management practices to protect their livestock. Best management practices for protection against coyotes are frequently ineffective against the much larger wolf. Talking to sheep producers from the United States who deal with wolves - guard dogs - arguably our most effective deterrent, are frequently overwhelmed by wolves.

With the proposed closed season in place, the compensation program administered by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs would not be adequate in its current form. Additional and extraordinary losses to producers living in the defined parameters could be addressed by providing additional compensation through the Ministry of Natural Resources or the Park itself, to producers living in that area. This compensation would be above and beyond the compensation program established under the Livestock, Poultry and Honey Bee Protection Act. This additional compensation could include a subsidy on purchase of guard animals or assistance with extraordinary fencing costs etc. It is extremely important that access to compensation not be unfairly impeded for sheep producers who are farming in this area of the province and subject to limited trapping or hunting activity to protect their livestock.

For further clarification, it is our understanding that even with the proposed year-round closed season in these specific townships, the Fish and Wildlife Act with regard to defence of livestock would still supercede this recommendation in problem situations.

Recommendation 18.3
While OSMA understands the intent of recommendation 18.3 is to protect the Algonquin Wolf during the breeding and pup-raising seasons, it should be noted that the hunting season naturally extends from December to March when the fur has most value. This would no longer be permitted according to this recommendation. OSMA would also like to clarify that this recommendation must not interfere with the livestock producers ability to protect the perimeters of his property and the ability to prevent livestock depredation extends to problem predators on land that is owned, leased or rented, or adjacent land where the farmer has permission to trap for the purposes of controlling nuisance predators. Again, we would like to make a clarification that the closed hunting season refers only to hunting of the Algonquin Wolf, and not the Coyote.

Recommendation 19
As previously stated, OSMA supports long-term continuous monitoring of wolf populations as well as that of their natural prey within Algonquin Park boundaries.

Recommendation 20
OSMA supports this recommendation to enlist support of hunters to report the harvest of wolves in designated townships adjacent to the Park and the request to hunters to voluntarily refrain from harvesting wolves.

Recommendation 21
As previously stated, OSMA supports on-going outreach education programs on status, role and conservation of wolves in Algonquin Park provided these programs are based on a scientific and fact-based approach.

Recommendation 22
With regard to recommendation 22, OSMA feels strongly that this recommendation is beyond the scope of the Algonquin Wolf Advisory Group's report and encourages them to solicit input from existing landowners that may be affected by such a proposal. Extensive consultation is necessary to determine support for a broad-scale resource planning initiative. Again, for clarity, we would like to clarify that the recommendations as presented refer to Wolf genetics and not Coyote genetics and nor a hybrid of the two.

Recommendation 23
OSMA opposes the recommendation to extend a closed hunting and trapping season of wolves for any defined period "generally throughout the geographical range of wolves in Ontario." It is our understanding that the Algonquin Wolf Advisory Group was established to look at means to protect the Algonquin Wolf within the Park boundaries and based on the mandate of the committee, we strongly believe that this recommendation is beyond the scope of this Group. OSMA recommends a much broader consultation be undertaken to ensure input throughout the province before any such recommendation be supported.

While it has been noted by Maria de Almeida, a member of the Algonquin Wolf Advisory Group in a media report, that the wolf is one of the few game species not given protection with a closed season, we wish to point out that the canid species is rapidly expanding its territory around the province without a closed breeding season. The gentrification of rural countryside and changing land-use patterns, provide an ideal habitat for coyotes to the detriment of the native wolf population. This has a much more negative impact on the longer term prospects for the population of wolves than does any attempt to establish a closed season. The expansion of the wolf population in the United States, particularly around Yellowstone Park and in Minnesota has resulted in increased conflict between livestock producers and problem predators. Therefore, OSMA supports the preservation of suitable Wolf habitat within Algonquin Park, rather than encouraging their spread into agricultural areas.

Recommendation 24
OSMA supports the recommendation that adequate resources are put into place to act on the recommendations made by the Algonquin Wolf Advisory Group and that are supported by OSMA.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide input on behalf of Ontario's sheep industry. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss the report further at your convenience and look forward to continued correspondence on this issue.

On behalf of the Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency:

Chris Kennedy Phil Jones Fred Baker Sandra Smyth
Stella, Ontario Perth, Ontario Mountain, Ontario Mattawa, Ontario

cc:
Phil Malcolmson, OMAFRA
Ralph MacCartney, OMAFRA
Anita O'Brien, OMAFRA
Lorne Widmer, OMAFRA
Mike McMorris, Ontario Cattlemen's Association