Current Projects
North Trench Elk Collaring Project
The Golden District Rod and Gun Club has partnered the Provincial Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship to propose a Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus canadensis) collaring project focusing on the metapopulations of the Northern Trench Population Management Unit (PMU) of The East Kootenay - Columbia Region. This will be the first elk collaring project in this unit and will collect information on population demography and habitat use, which will ultimately contribute to the long-term persistence and conservation of this population.
The need for this project is evident and is imperative for the effective management of elk in this PMU into the future. Collecting and analyzing data on these herds at this juncture of time when land use is expanding and diversifying, is critical for future land use planning and much needed regulatory interventions to combat habitat loss and degradation. The research questions we are posing are:
What is the distribution of elk across the landscape and what are key habitat features elk are selecting for on winter range and summer range habitats?
What are the current elk migratory patterns (timing and location)? Are they being influenced or restricted by current land use or transportation corridors (highway or rail)?
What are the population estimates, demographics, and recruitment?
What is the survival rate of this population and what are the main sources of mortality?
What are the major limiting factors for elk in the NT PMU? (health, predation, human conflict etc.)
This study will provide information to better manage this population. Timing and locations of elk movements and migration allow for mapping of key habitats and inform land use decisions around new development and mitigation of current human use. Information about survival rates and causes of mortality allow for informed discussions around population trend, mitigating mortality, and sustainable hunting rates and timing.
Bighorn Sheep Habitat Enhancement
High quality habitat for sheep is limited in the Kicking Horse Canyon corridor due to fire suppression and increasing transportation infrastructure. This project aims to enhance existing habitat in order to promote improved forage availability and sightlines for the local bighorn herd. Improved and expanded foraging habitat will help divert sheep away from the highway and lower the risk of road mortality.
Funding provided by:
Samuel Hanen Society for Resource Conservation
East Kootenay Wildlife Association
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
Columbia Basin Trust
