Spatial dynamics of a migratory wolf population in winter, south-central Ontario (1990-1995)

We examined the spatial distribution and movements of migratory wolves (Canis lupus lycaon) to a deer yard located adjacent to Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, during 5 winters from 1990 to 1995. Wolves from eastern and central Algonquin Provincial Park followed the annual migration of deer to yards located 13 km outside of the Park boundary. Spatial distributions were determined through mapping of telemetry locations and nearest neighbour analysis. We defined three spacing systems: consistent/high fidelity, clustered/moderate fidelity, and transitional/low fidelity. We found inconsistencies among packs in their adherence to these systems. Data indicate that areas of use changed quickly and tolerance levels among wolves in the deer yard were very high; alien wolves were recorded 163 times in close spatial and (or) temporal proximity. The social behaviour exhibited by this migratory population of wolves has never been recorded in a forested wolf-deer ecosystem. Factors that may contribute to this behavioural plasticity include food abundance, a high degree of genetic relatedness among wolf packs, and high rates of human-caused mortality. Resume : Nous avons etudie la repartition spatiale et les deplacements des loups migrateurs (Canis lupus lycaon) dans un gagnage de cerfs adjacent au parc provincial Algonquin, Ontario, durant les hivers 1990-1995. Les loups du centre et de l'est du parc Algonquin ont suivi la route de migration annuelle des cerfs jusqu'a des terres situees a 13 km en dehors des limites du parc. La repartition des loups a ete determinee par cartographie des lieux ou les loups ont ete reperes par telemetrie et par analyse des plus proches voisins. Nous avons defini trois systemes spatiaux: presence persistante/fidelite elevee, presence en groupe/fidelite moyenne, presence passagere/fidelite faible. Nous avons repere des exemples de non conformite a ces systemes au sein des meutes. Les donnees indiquent que les zones utilisees changent rapidement et que le degre de tolerance est tres eleve parmi les loups du parc de cerfs; des loups intrus ont ete observes 163 fois a tres grande proximite spatiale ou temporelle. Le comportement social de cette population migratrice de loups n'a jamais ete observe auparavant dans l'ecosysteme forestier loups-cerfs. Parmi les facteurs potentiels de cette plasticite du comportement, il faut penser a l'abondance de nourriture, a un degre eleve de parente genetique parmi les meutes et a une mortalite due aux humains particulierement elevee.