Gray wolves (canis lupus) movement patterns in Manitoba : implications for wolf management plans

Abstract

In 2010 and 2011, Manitoba Hydro in collaboration with Manitoba Conservation collared 65 gray wolves (Canis lupus) as part of a larger multi-year boreal woodland caribou research project. There is insufficient data regarding populations of gray wolves in Manitoba or their movements throughout the province. The objective of this study was to typify wolf movements in Manitoba to provide recommendations for industry and government for the development of policy and integrated resource management plans of this species. Of the 65-collared wolves, 11 were selected to examine their movements in three regions of the Province. It was found that wolf populations overlap one another in the study area, to varying degrees. Their ability to move long distances, creates challenges for resource managers, as most management plans only consider management at a regional scale rather than a multi-jurisdictional level. In addition, this examination of gray wolf movements will assist in understanding their role as predators on the protected boreal woodland caribou and depressed moose populations within the Province.