FIELD – A male wolf was struck and killed on the Trans-Canada Highway in Yoho National Park last week.
The adult wolf, which was fitted with a radio tracking collar in winter 2022 and was part of a pack known to move throughout Yoho National Park, was killed on the highway about four kilometres east of the community of Field on April 24.
This most recent mortality follows the death of a female wolf killed on the highway, about one km west of Field on Jan. 10 this year.
“To our knowledge, this is the second human-caused wolf mortality in Yoho National Park in 2023,” said Suzanne White, a Parks Canada spokesperson for Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay.
Parks Canada has a monitoring program that collects information on wildlife in a variety of ways, such as physical observations by staff and visitors, winter wildlife tracking, remote cameras and collaring.
White said this information helps give a better understanding of how wildlife use habitat within Yoho National Park.
She said Parks Canada is currently aware of one wolf pack travelling through the park.
“This winter the wolves have been observed regularly travelling through the Kicking Horse Valley,” she said.
“Parks Canada had two wolves collared in this pack to track their movements. Opportunistic observations indicate the pack has eight or more individuals.”
In 2022, there were three known human-caused wolf mortalities in Kootenay National Park and one in Yoho National Park.
Motorists are reminded to stick to posted speed limits and to drive with caution in the early morning and evening hours when wildlife are more active.
Parks Canada asks that wildlife incidents be reported to Parks Canada Dispatch at 403-762-1470.
