Status and conservation of the gray wolf (Canis lupus) in wildlife reserves of Québec Original Research Article

Wolf populations have been relatively stable during the last 15 years in seven of nine wildlife reserves located in southern Québec, despite harvest by legal trapping. Wolf densities, estimated via hunter surveys and an equation linking questionnaire data and radio-tracking data, varied between 0.7 and 2.2 animals/100 km2. In some reserves, wolf populations persisted at ca. 1 individual/100 km2 with low prey densities (i.e. <2 moose/10 km2). Long-term density and trapping data indicated that wolf populations frequently sustained annual harvest rates exceeding 35% without experiencing population declines. However, such systems appeared unstable, especially for reserves <1500 km2 in size. Immigration from adjacent areas likely contributed to the persistence of wolf populations in reserves that experienced harvest rates >35%. Although the viability of wolf populations in southern Québec seems not to be threatened by trapping, some wildlife reserves act as population sinks, instead of sources, for wolves. The long-term conservation of wolves requires reduction of harvests in some reserves, and simultaneous monitoring of wolf populations outside wildlife reserves.