2.4 Wolf ecology and management in northern canada: Perspectives from a Snowmobile Wolf hunt

摘要: H. Dean Cluff, Paul C. Paquet, Lyle R. Walton and Marco Musiani inTrodUcTion: The rennie laKe WolF hUnT conTroverSy in The norThWeST TerriTorieS in February 1998, a canadian national newspaper article (mitchell 1998) raised questions and concerns about the killing of wolves (Canis lupus) for fur in the northwest Territories (nWT), specifically in the 13,000-km2 rennie lake area; about 175 km north of the Saskatchewan border (Fig. 2.4. 1). Further news items, editorials, and letters to the editor criticized the hunt and generated strong public concern. Several other newspapers, radio, and television stations reported the story and it quickly became a contentious issue. This chapter presents new ecological data that we collected and analyzed on the rennie lake Wolf hunt in the northwest Territories of canada, and sheds light on the controversy that arose from this event.When the story unfolded, the hunt was still in progress. at that point, 460 wolves were reported killed in the area (mitchell 1998). This figure was based on export permits issued to aboriginal hunters (see Box 1) from northern Saskatchewan travelling northward to hunt wolf and wolverine (Gulo gulo) in the nWT. The number of wolves killed had climbed to 633 when the season ended in spring (government of northwest Territories (gnWT) news release 22 april 1998). an additional 125 wolves were