The Eastern wolf (Canis lyacon) is a distinct species of canid that once inhabited the woodlands of Eastern North America. However, threats such as hybridization with other canids, loss of forest cover and suitable prey, and large-scale land changes since the onset of colonization have caused them to become extirpated from most of their former range, now existing only in isolated populations in central Ontario and Quebec . With the current population now estimated at under 1,000 mature individuals, the species is listed as Threatened both federally (COSEWIC) and

provincially (COSSARO). While there has been extensive research into the population of Eastern wolves in Algonquin Park, lesser-known populations exist along the shores of Georgian Bay, on the territories of Anishinaabek Nation communities such as Shawanaga First Nation.

Project Background & History

Historically, wolf conservation and monitoring initiatives in Ontario have often excluded the vital significance of wolves to Indigenous nations such as the Anishinaabek, putting the conservation of this keystone species in peril. Seeking to change this, SAR teams from communities such as Shawanaga are seeking to entwine Anishinaabek and Western scientific knowledge to better understand the presence of Eastern wolves on their territories.

This collaborative and co-developed research project was initiated in additional partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, with the goal of prioritizing Anishinaabek values, scientific and ecological knowledge in the preservation of wolves in the region.

Under the supervision of Dr. Jesse Popp (WISE Lab) and Dr. Joseph Northrup (Northrup Lab), this community-informed research partnership titled Ma’iingan Wat Saa Maa Jig (those who walk with wilves) is led by SAR teams in Shawanaga First Nation, Magnetawan First Nation & Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory. This work was co-developed into a master’s research project that was initially undertaken by Shilah LeFeuvre, a former graduate student at Trent University, and later continued by Christopher Lim, an MSc student at the University of Guelph.

Current Status

From 2022-2024, 14 wolves were identified and tracked with GPS collars in the study area (6 of those in Shawanaga), all with the help of community members.

With the majority of data collection now complete, Chris will be working on mapping the telemetry data to gain a better understanding of habitat use of wolves in the region, including the identification of den sites and movement corridors. Additionally, genome analyses of various canids in the area have been complete, identifying genetic mixing from coyotes as another potential threat to wolves in the region. Informed and guided by Traditional Ecological Knowledge of community members, this work aims to provide Shawanaga’s SAR team with the tools needed to make informed and ecologically and culturally grounded decisions regarding wolf stewardship on our lands.