Wild About Wolves research project

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

Videos

Five-part series of videos on the Wild about Wolves Research Project. (2020)

Trail camera photos

Photos of wolves taken by remote wildlife cameras in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

When you visit Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, you are in qʷayac̓iik (wolf) territory. Wolves are a natural and important part of this coastal ecosystem.

To better understand local wolf populations, and how people and wolves can safely coexist, Parks Canada undertook a six year Wild About Wolves research project. While the study is now complete, ongoing monitoring and education continue to help support safe, respectful coexistence between people and wolves.

Transcript Wild about Wolves Sharing a Traditional world view on Human co-existence with Wolves Part 1 First Nations have co-existed with wolves for thousands of years. Parks Canada is collaborating with First Nation partners to learn about their connection to wolves and how they have co-existed from a Traditional World View. All footage and photographs of wildlife were captured by remote cameras. We have been talking about education from not just western view sense, but also from a traditional perspective. And how how we as a people lived with these animals all our lives. But further to that, how we adopted their way of life, because it was so incredible that the elders of old understood that we could apply to this to our community. Thus the qʷayac̓iik that we have they used for lawmaking, they used for different ceremonies and still do. So that's part of the, I guess, the difference between the Western world view and the traditional world view is that we we go beyond just saying, well, yeah, they're here. We we've coexisted, we've adopted a way of life that came from them. I know growing up I heard elders talk about how the wolf, or the qʷayac̓iik was really family oriented that they stuck together. So we need to do that. They would say we need to be taking a lesson from an animal. A lot of people just ignore. They don't realize that, that they have a way of life that can benefit people as well. The stories that we have about transformation, where man went into baths in a river and then when he backed out, he was a wolf. So there was that teaching about the connection, the close connection between humanness and the animal kingdom. We're all one. We are intertwined as one being. So the wolves, they have taught our people many things. They have ceremonies that come from from the wolves. So that can mean that's what our ancestors practiced to honor and respect everything. Like I was saying, you honor and respect everything like they were your own relatives, like your sister and your brother. You know, very, very close connection. When we do that, like, you know, when I'm when I honor and respect my brother and sisters, they too, will honor and respect me. So it's the same with everything else, with the wolves and the bears and the cougars. And it's really important that we humble ourselves. We humble ourselves by only taking what we need. We only take what we need, whether it be a tree. If we need a tree, we put we take a part of a tree and we put it back into the ground so that the spirit of the tree will go back into the ground and always come back. And again, that's a part of territory of the roots of bears and cougars that are out there. And it's not only the bears and the wolves and the cougars. It's everything that is out there. Everything that is out there has a role and responsibility to the tiniest little creatures that are out there. It's it's about the cycle of life. Culturally, especially in my nation and other surrounding and neighboring nations, the wolf is revered and respected and is held in high regard in our ceremonies. So much so that it's a we actually have a ceremony which is somewhat similar to a coming of age ceremony for young, for young men. And it actually allows them to become part of a clan and they are given specific roles within their communities and and different responsibilities that are their own. So the wolf is held in very high regard, and especially in my community. Parks Canada thank First Nation partner Elders and Knowledge Holders for sharing their knowledge to help foster respectful human co-existence with wolves. 
 Parks Canada has worked with participants from three First Nations to co-develop this video and has their permission to share. The knowledge shared belongs to the Elders and Knowledge Holders. CREDITS Wolf carving and photograph: Utla-Suu-qʷayac̓iik (Dennis Hetu), Toquaht Nation. Music: Toquaht Nation drummer Utla-Suu-qʷayac̓iik Learn more about the “Wild About Wolves” project by visiting parkscanada.gc.ca/wildaboutwolves

Indigenous knowledge: wolves, people and place

People have lived alongside wolves for millennia, and for many First Nations, wolves carry deep cultural, spiritual, and ecological importance. Elders continue to share knowledge that guides respectful coexistence, including teachings such as yuutsḥapiʔał—a reminder to be mindful of our words and actions.

“In our culture's language, there’s a word that we use: yuutsḥapiʔał. Which means: always be careful about what you do and what you say.”

Levi Martin (Kaamatḥ)
Tla-o-qui-aht Elder

Parks Canada is working with First Nations’ Elders to ensure wolf management reflects these values and the lived experience of those who have long cared for this land. As a visitor to Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, you are in the ancestral territories of the following First Nations:

Wolves in the Long Beach Unit   

The wolf population is increasing in the Long Beach Unit—an encouraging sign of a healthy, balanced ecosystem. Parks Canada works collaboratively with Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government in the Long Beach Unit to protect ecological and cultural values while supporting visitor safety and enjoyment.

Young wolves can sometimes be seen traveling with their parents and learning how to live and coexist in an area that is also heavily used by people.

Wolves range widely, with this family moving between beaches, forests, and communities across a large area that includes Tofino, the Long Beach Unit, Esowista, Ty-Histanis, Hitacu, Ucluelet, out past Salmon Beach, and inland areas like Kennedy Flats. Their home range can span hundreds of square kilometres, reflecting how dynamic and interconnected this ecosystem is.

As young wolves learn from their parents, they are especially impressionable—another reason we are focused on protecting wolves. By giving them space, securing attractants, and leaving dogs at home whenever possible, we help them maintain their natural wariness around people and avoid habituation. Habituation and food conditioning put wolves at serious risk, often leading to their demise. Together, we have the chance to protect this family and ensure they remain a thriving part of the coast’s living story.

Human-Wolf interactions on the rise

Wolves were largely eliminated from the west coast of Vancouver Island by the 1960s. When they began to repopulate the region in the 1990s, their return was welcomed as a healthy sign for the ecosystem.

However, human population grew significantly during their decades of absence. With fewer people familiar with how to live alongside wolves, interactions between people and wolves have increased over time, particularly in areas where beaches and trails are heavily used.

Wolves are intelligent and naturally curious. When food, garbage, or dogs become associated with human use—or when people fail to maintain healthy boundaries—wolves can lose their natural wariness. Habituation and food conditioning remain among the greatest risks to both people and wolves.

“It’s not: ‘What’s going on with the wolves?’ It’s: ‘What’s going on with us?’”

Dr. Barney Williams
Tla o qui aht First Nation

To support coexistence and reduce risk, Parks Canada uses a range of adaptive management measures. These may include increased monitoring, warning advisories, temporary area or activity restrictions, deterrence, and public education. These measures are developed in collaboration with First Nations and adjusted as conditions change.

Special care is taken when young wolves are present. Young wolves learn from adult wolves, and early experiences with people or dogs can shape their behaviour for life. Proactive management during these periods helps reduce habituation and prevent dangerous interactions.

Respecting wolves—and the measures in place to protect them—helps ensure they remain a healthy part of this coastal ecosystem.

Transcript 0:05 Wild about Wolves Sharing a Traditional world view on Human co-existence with Wolves Part 1 0:11 First Nations have co-existed with wolves for thousands of years. 0:16 Parks Canada is collaborating with First Nation partners to learn about their connection to wolves 0:21 and how they have co-existed from a Traditional World View. 0:26 All footage and photographs of wildlife were captured by remote cameras. 0:30 Hiish-uk-ish-tsawalk 0:32 Everything is one. Everything is connected. 0:35 And I think that 0:37 before people began to think like that, 0:40 we wouldn't have this confusion about 0:44 what's going on with the wolves. 0:46 It's not what's going on with the wolves. 0:48 It's what's going on with us. 0:50 We're actually the problem. 0:53 The wolves are just existing because they've always existed 0:57 with us as a unit, as a family. 0:59 Right. 1:00 So we need to get back to that and recognize 1:03 that that this is theirs. 1:06 This is their place. And we're here. 1:07 We're sharing space with them and their respect, sharing space with us. 1:13 One of the things that we do normally 1:18 when we have a situation or a problem, we tend to look around 1:23 and we want to 1:24 blame something else right away. 1:28 But if we look at ourselves first 1:31 and say, okay, what is my part in this? 1:35 And when we talk about wolves, when we talk about 1:38 the situations that we have with wolves. 1:41 When I look at it, I look at what we've done to the land, 1:47 what we've done to the environment, to the water, 1:52 the air, the sacredness of these elements that sustain life to every living thing. 1:59 We've done a lot of damage as humans to the land. 2:04 I feel it's important that we speak 2:10 for the wolves because a lot of people can't hear the messages 2:15 that that that needs to be said. 2:18 I mean, we look at wolves and we don't hear anything. 2:22 We see them coming into the community 2:26 and we don't say, 2:27 What are you doing in our community? 2:30 But we sit and we listen 2:33 and we can hear that 2:35 the wolves are coming into the community because of what we've done 2:39 to their territory, their traditional territory. 2:44 So those are things that we need to look at 2:49 The importance of coexisting with the wolf, 2:54 in my point of view, in my world 2:57 is so that we can keep 3:00 that mutual respect between the wolf 3:03 and and my clan. 3:07 But from a visitor standpoint, 3:10 I think the importance to coexist with these wolves is just to lessen 3:17 the amount of interactions, because every time somebody 3:20 or something interacts with these wolves, it shifts the balance, their balance. 3:26 And when that balance is shifted, 3:29 it puts their lives in jeopardy. 3:31 The wolf is a very habitual creature 3:36 and it is going to try and interact with us, 3:40 which we don’t want. 3:42 Parks Canada thank First Nation partner Elders and Knowledge Holders for sharing their knowledge to help foster respectful human co-existence with wolves. 
 3:48 Parks Canada has worked with participants from three First Nations to co-develop this video and has their permission to share. The knowledge shared belongs to the Elders and Knowledge Holders. 3:55 CREDITS Wolf carving and photograph: Utla-Suu-qʷayac̓iik (Dennis Hetu), Toquaht Nation. Music: Toquaht Nation drummer Utla-Suu-qʷayac̓iik 4:02 Learn more about the “Wild About Wolves” project by visiting parkscanada.gc.ca/wildaboutwolves

Wild About Wolves: What we’ve learned about wolves and coexistence

Over six years, Parks Canada’s Wild About Wolves research project deepened our understanding of how wolves and people share this coast, and what helps—or hinders—safe coexistence. The project incorporated ecological research, Indigenous Knowledge, and human dimensions to better understand wolf behaviour, movement, diet, and the human actions that influence conflict.

One of the clearest findings was that wolves in this region are widely respected and admired. While this appreciation reflects strong conservation values, it can sometimes blur healthy boundaries. When people seek close encounters, linger during sightings, or intentionally or unintentionally provide access to food, wolves can become habituated to human spaces. Habituation reduces a wolf’s natural wariness, increases the risk of conflict, and can ultimately lead to the animal’s death.

Wildlife cameras
A typical trail camera used to capture images of wildlife passing by

To better understand the movements of wolves and their prey, Parks Canada installed a network of wildlife cameras in and around Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Parks Canada used these findings to help make strategic decisions around reducing conflict between visitors and wolves.

See a gallery of wolf images captured by our trail cameras

The research also showed that wolves and people are often drawn to the same places. Wolves frequently travel along beaches and trails, which offer easier movement than dense rainforest and access to important food sources. Coastal prey such as seals, otters, and raccoons makes up a significant portion of their diet. One surprising finding was the importance of black bears, which were among the most frequently detected prey species in wolf scat collected during the study.

Tracking and monitoring revealed just how far coastal wolves travel. Individual wolves and families move across vast territories—often covering hundreds of kilometres—connecting beaches, forests, and nearby communities. These wide-ranging movements underscore how interconnected the ecosystem is, and why actions in one area can affect wolves far beyond it.

Coexistence is about more than wolf ecology. Research into the human dimensions of wildlife highlighted how values, attitudes, and everyday choices shape outcomes for wolves. The project reinforced what Indigenous Knowledge has long taught: living with wolves requires awareness, respect, and care in how we move through shared spaces.

Transcript Wild about Wolves Sharing a Traditional world view on Human co-existence with Wolves Part 1 0:11 First Nations have co-existed with wolves for thousands of years. 0:16 Parks Canada is collaborating with First Nation partners to learn about their connection to wolves 0:21 and how they have co-existed from a Traditional World View. 0:26 All footage and photographs of wildlife were captured by remote cameras. 0:30 So we honoured and respected the wolves. 0:34 We always treated them as if they were our relatives. 0:39 Like my brothers and sisters and like you know family. 0:43 And whenever we were going into an area where there was wolves 0:49 or cougars or bears, I would tell the wolves 0:52 and that I was going to honor and respect the land, 0:56 the territory that we were in. 0:59 And I will not do anything to harm 1:03 or hurt the land and the environment. 1:07 So I want to kind of share the traditional world view 1:11 and how we feel, for example, about the wolves and the teachings 1:16 that come with that respect that we show for 1:20 all living things inclusive of animals and 1:24 not just humans, but but also to be really cognizant of, 1:30 you know, what, what are we doing? 1:32 How are we part of the problem and 1:35 create an awareness that 1:38 there is a way 1:41 that we need to treat the animals. 1:45 For example, you don't feed the animals. They 1:48 they become dependent on that way of life. 1:51 And thus we begin to see them everywhere. 1:55 So historically in our nation, 1:58 we have been able to co-exist 2:02 with wolves by following a simple set of rules. 2:06 The first being is to respect the wolves and everything else around us. 2:12 The second is to give them their space when they come come near. 2:17 The third is never to ask them to come to you or to entice them by food. 2:23 Four is to try to make 2:26 the wolves know that 2:28 you're there, but also not to invite them 2:33 into your world. 2:35 Their world is their world, and our world is ours. For our local community 2:39 there is a lot of things we can do to lessen 2:42 the interactions between humans and wolves and cougars and bears. 2:46 Attractants are huge. 2:47 That's the main reason they come to our communities. 2:50 Photo opportunities are another. 2:52 You may not think you're doing any harm, but you are. 2:55 Every time you stop and make an interaction 2:58 between these animals, they feel that much safer between you and them. 3:03 And believe me, they're not safe after they've made contact with you. 3:08 For the visitors, 3:10 I just would hope that you remember that we hold these animals in high regard. 3:14 They are significant in our cultural traditions as First Nations people. 3:20 We would never, ever disrespect your cultural traditions. 3:25 We would honor them because they're yours. 3:28 We hope that you would treat us the same way 3:31 with the same respect and treat the wolves with the same respect. 3:35 I'm sure that if you follow 3:37 a simple set of rules and 3:40 come to visit 3:42 with that sort of respect in mind, 3:45 the interactions between humans and wolves wont entirely stop. 3:50 But it'll lessen. 3:51 And that's what we're aiming for. 3:54 I think that if the more we learn 3:56 about First Nation culture 3:59 towards the wolf and what they mean to us, 4:02 I think that there will be a better understanding of why 4:06 we've been able to coexist with them as a cultural group. 4:11 And then you can pass that on to other people's. 4:16 Parks Canada thank First Nation partner Elders and Knowledge Holders for sharing their knowledge to help foster respectful human co-existence with wolves. 4:22 Parks Canada has worked with participants from three First Nations to co-develop this video and has their permission to share. The knowledge shared belongs to the Elders and Knowledge Holders. 4:29 CREDITS Wolf carving and photograph: Utla-Suu-q?ayac?iik (Dennis Hetu), Toquaht Nation. Music: Toquaht Nation drummer Utla-Suu-q?ayac?iik 4:36 Learn more about the “Wild About Wolves” project by visiting parkscanada.gc.ca/wildaboutwolves

Coexistence is possible

The lessons from Wild About Wolves continue to guide national park reserve management today. They inform education, monitoring, warnings, and management actions aimed at protecting wolves’ natural wariness and reducing risk for people and pets. Ultimately, coexistence is not about changing wolves, but in deciding how we choose to live alongside them.

We need to respect and understand that we’re not the only ones here. We live amongst wildlife, and they live amongst us too.

Derrek Peters (Tliishin)
Huu-ay-aht Tyee Ha’wiih (Hereditary Chief)
Look for signs installed at parking lots and trailheads throughout the national park reserve. If you see them, read them.

How you can help

Coexisting with wolves depends on everyday choices that. Learn how to reduce conflict, stay safe, and protect wolves by visiting our Living with Wildlife page.

Contact us:

Todd Windle, Wildlife Coexistence Team Lead
todd.windle@pc.gc.ca

Related links

Date modified :