Understanding carnivores, connectivity and co-existence in the Beaver Hills Biosphere

Parks Canada's report on conservation from 2018 to 2023

Conservation priority

Landscape-scale conservation

Location

Elk Island National Park, Alberta

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Working collaboratively, Parks Canada, the Beaver Hills Biosphere Region Association, the University of British Columbia, and Boise State University (Idaho), identified important corridors for large carnivores moving throughout the Beaver Hills Biosphere to Elk Island National Park. The project also identified and examined the relationship between landscape connectivity and human-wildlife conflicts.

The research and the newly developed human-wildlife co-existence strategy will support the re-establishment of a self-sustaining balance for Elk Island National Park’s ecosystem, by improving connectivity for predators. The strategy will also guide regional stakeholders in developing grassroots initiatives to improve coexistence between humans and wildlife.

Project highlights

• 3 years of stakeholder engagement
• Development of a human-wildlife co-existence strategy

Context

Elk Island National Park is located in Alberta within the Beaver Hills Biosphere. The Biosphere is a UNESCO-designated region which focuses collaboration between local communities and interested stakeholders in the conservation of biodiversity and cultural diversity, while also supporting environmentally and culturally sustainable economic development. All species must pass through the Beaver Hills Biosphere to access Elk Island National Park.

Elk Island National Park faces a unique ecological challenge as the park is entirely fenced. While this fence is effective in protecting park bison from outside diseases and preventing bison from wandering onto neighbouring properties outside the park, this fence blocks the natural migration patterns of large, hoofed animals, or ungulates, like elk, moose, and bison. In addition, in the past, natural predators like wolves, cougars and bears, were removed from the park.

With the loss of natural predators, and the loss of ungulate movement in and out of the park, densities of bison, elk and moose grew extremely high. As a consequence, the parks' vegetation has been overgrazed, and parasites have caused Elk Island National Park's northern moose population to crash. In the absence of predators, parasites and disease are often what regulates ungulate populations. The disruptions to natural processes have resulted in an ecosystem that is out of balance.

Working together

Through the Carnivores, Connectivity and Co-existence project, Parks Canada, the Beaver Hills Biosphere Region Association, and academic partners undertook research to identify how predator species are accessing and using the Biosphere.

The research focused on understanding where carnivores are coming from, and what places in the Biosphere connect the populations of these predators to Elk Island National Park. The research recognized that connectivity can be impacted by human-wildlife conflicts, which result in large carnivores being killed as they try to pass through the landscape. The work also looked at how the probability of human-wildlife conflicts reduced the ease of movement for bears, wolves, and cougars.

Outcomes

While predators were extirpated from the region in the first half of the 1900's, they have been returning slowly to the Beaver Hills Biosphere. The research shows the key role that corridors play in the return of large carnivores to the ecosystem, and the relationship of connectivity to reducing human conflicts with these species. Understanding the relationship between connectivity and conflicts with carnivores is fundamental to promoting coexistence and returning ecological balance to Elk Island National Park.

A human-wildlife co-existence strategy

The project also completed three years of stakeholder engagement to develop a human-wildlife co-existence strategy. Parks Canada and the Beaver Hills Biosphere Region Association engaged partners, different levels of government, environmental non-governmental organizations, local community associations, stakeholders, and adjacent landowners, to develop strategies and tactics to reduce the potential for human-wildlife conflict. As of 2023, the collaborators are developing a work plan to begin implementing the strategy.

“The link between human-wildlife conflicts and loss of connectivity over a landscape is often overlooked when considering planning for corridors. Human-wildlife conflict within Beaver Hills Biosphere is an important component of functional connectivity, and a matter that can only be resolved through strong cooperation among stakeholders and partners.”

—Ramona Maraj, Ecologist Team Leader, Parks Canada

Learn more

• Wildlife management - Elk Island National Park
• Beaver Hills Biosphere - Coexisting with Wildlife
• Beaver Hills Biosphere – Living with Wildlife