Wolf killed in New Brunswick

[Mac]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2012/05/08/nb-wolf-dna-confirm.html

Pure wolf. No coyote or dog DNA in this one. Possibly came across the ice from the Gaspe (Chic-Chocs, maybe).

 

[stu]

Thanks for posting! Interesting article.

 

[spider solo]

It is an interesting article. Still a bit sad that he had to kill one of the admittedly few wolves there are in the region. Just to have it stuffed.
Still it does prove they do exist.

 

[Mike P.]

This part particularly interesting:

Don McAlpine, a zoologist at the New Brunswick Museum, could not be reached for comment Tuesday. But in a previous interview, he told CBC News he figured it was "just a matter of time before a wolf turned up" in New Brunswick.

He said there had been a number of confirmed wolves in Quebec, south of the St. Lawrence, in the past decade, and about 10 in the northern New England states.

 

[Chip]

He said there had been a number of confirmed wolves in Quebec, south of the St. Lawrence, in the past decade, and about 10 in the northern New England states.

I can find the 2008 MA wolf story, regardless, not surprised since that ME study found a number of coyote there were nearly 90% wolf. I don't think you'd get close to 90% unless they were breeding locally. It'll be interesting to see how the 100%ers affect the coyote populations and how states handle hunting since I'm sure a hunter would be excused for confusing a wolf for a coyote at this point. FWIW: There is no closed season or "bag limits" on coyote in NH and the only closed season in CT is during the spring and fall turkey seasons.

 

[Raven]

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2012/wolves-03-01-2012.html

Interesting times for wolves right now...the northeast is going to look even better to them on October 1.

 

[Red Oak]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2012/05/08/nb-wolf-dna-confirm.html

Pure wolf. No coyote or dog DNA in this one. Possibly came across the ice from the Gaspe (Chic-Chocs, maybe).

Hi Mac....Good to meet you this past winter up in Rangely...Do you know if they have confirmed pure wolf reports in the Gaspe?I know you have been there before. I wonder based on the comments at the bottom of the article if there is a high % of pure breads up in New-Brunswick? Great story,thanks for the info...

 

[gaiagirl]

Adding to the intrigue here, at least in looking at wolf populations potentially becoming established in New England, are 2 related issues. First, while reintroduction is called for when it is determined that Endangered Species in former ranges could biologically hold such populations in present day, the problem now (within the last several years) is that USFWS is saying, for all intents and purposes "Nope, sorry. They're already here, so we don't need to re-introduce anything that's missing." And by "they're already here", the service is referring to coyote-wolf hybrids. Which is really unfortunate, in my opinion, at least in one sense. Because the wolves are not making it to the other side of the St. Lawrence Seaway (and through and over urban barriers, as well) in any sustainable numbers, to say the least.

This has been a VERY interesting topic to me for some time. I am NOT an expert, but I have studied with some of the experts (Peggy Strusacker and Doug Smith) and I am fascinated by these animals biologically and ecologically and about the issues that relate to them. The issues are certainly complex and the biology is very fluid and dynamic. I'm going to post a couple of articles that might be of interest instead of lecturing about anything, so I don't end up boring myself and others

http://www.wolf.org/wolves/learn/wow/regions/United_States/New_York_Subpages/AttitudesandIssues.asp

http://shar.es/2A4gB

 

[sardog1]

Well, there's another very important obstacle to any thought of "reintroducing" wolves to New England. The recent genetic studies on the "coyotes" we have and the few museum examples of Northeastern wolves have made it pretty clear that neither are conspecific with the wolves to the west around the Great Lakes in the U.S. The Endangered Species Act provides no authority for bringing in a species that was never here. Until someone figures out a way to clone new individuals from the museum mounts, "reintroduction" of wolves in New England ain't never gonna happen.

I say all this as one who would be thrilled to have wolves here. I look forward to the Canadian wolves making their way across the border. With time, the Great Lakes U.S. wolves might make it as well.

 

[Mac]

Do you know if they have confirmed pure wolf reports in the Gaspe?

I can't refer to any article in particular, except this one where a New Brunswick Zoologist refers to "...number of confirmed wolves in Quebec, south of the St. Lawrence...". Unless he is referring to the Eastern Townships, the Gaspe (since it is more mountainous and remote) seems to be a likely place. Also, the Acadian Peninsula is directly across from the south side of the Gaspe.

Good to hear from you as well. I've got another hike planned to summit Mont Jacques Cartier (the Gaspe's only 4,000 footer) in early July.