May 31, 2004

! UPDATE:  Ontario government protects Algonquin wolves!

May 31, 2004, TORONTO — The Ontario government is protecting the Eastern Wolf by permanently banning the hunting, trapping and chasing of wolves and coyotes in and around Algonquin Provincial Park, Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay announced today. MNR press release.

Please take a moment to congratulate Minister of Natural Resources David Ramsay on this farsighted decision!

March 13, 2004

!  Algonquin wolves to be protected - your letters needed!

March 13, 2004 Please register your formal support for the government's proposal to make the ban on hunting, killing and snaring of Algonquin wolves permanent and to close the coyote loophole. It will be posted on the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR) Registry for 30 days.  Written submissions may be made until April 2, 2004.

» Send a letter though the AlgonquinWolves.ca action centre

» Send a fax through the CanadianWolves.net action centre

March 3, 2004

!  Please thank Ontario government for permanent ban on killing Algonquin wolves and coyotes

Click for background info

On March 3, 2004 the Ontario government announced its intention to make the ban on hunting, trapping or snaring wolves in 39 townships around Algonquin Park permanent. The government also closed the loophole allowing the killing of coyotes (which the eastern wolf can be easily mistaken for) in the moratorium zone. The government says it will add the eastern wolf to the Ontario list of Species at Risk as a species of special concern. This announcement will make the future for Algonquin's special population of eastern wolves much more secure. MNR press release.

Thank you to everyone who phoned, wrote or emailed in support of this issue. Please take a moment of your time to congratulate Minister of Natural Resources David Ramsay on this farsighted decision and on his commitment to develop a province-wide wolf conservation policy.

Hon. David Ramsay
Ministry of Natural Resources
99 Wellesley Street W
Toronto, ON
M7A 1W3
Email: minister@mnr.gov.on.ca

!  Algonquin Wolves at Risk

Photo courtesy Bob McElroy Young Eastern Wolf A wolf pack has a complex hierarchal social structure. But one of the effects of the high mortality of Algonquin wolves is that there are very few older wolves. The pack structure is currently being seriously stressed and disrupted. Story and photos of this young wolf.

Wolves of Algonquin Park Ontario's Algonquin provincial park is home to approximately 150-175 wolves. It is the largest protected population of Eastern wolf (Canis lycaon), designated as Special Concern on Canada's Species at Risk list. Two-thirds of wolf deaths human-caused Scientific research has found that the park population is not secure. In a protected area where wolves should be dying of natural causes, two thirds of wolf deaths have been found to be human-caused. Natural wolf pack territories extend beyond park boundaries, where hunting and trapping occur.  A temporary moratorium on wolf killing in townships surrounding the park is set to expire in June 2004, and does not apply to coyotes, which increases the risk that wolves mistaken for coyotes will be snared, trapped or shot. Permanent moratorium on wolf killing required The wolves of Algonquin Park need a permanent moratorium on wolf killing in townships surrounding the park, the moratorium must include coyotes, and must be accompanied by a provincial wolf conservation policy. To learn more please visit www.algonquinwolves.ca