Monitoring - Wildlife

Wildlife Cards

Rationale

Red fox pups.

Systematically recording wildlife observations is an inexpensive method of collecting information about wildlife populations. Wildlife observations are used to monitor changes in wildlife populations in Aulavik, Ivvavik and Tuktut Nogait national parks and the surrounding regions. Special attention is paid to observations of bears and wolves, as there is existing information for both species and because they are good indicators of environmental health.

Objectives

• To monitor wildlife populations in Aulavik, Ivvavik and Tuktut Nogait national parks and surrounding regions using incidental wildlife observations.

Methods and Information Collected

• Incidental observations of wildlife are recorded by species.
• Information collected includes: date and time of observation, name of observer, species observed, number of individuals seen, location of observation, elevation, aspect, age, sex of animal, evidence of reproduction, habitat, weather and remarks.
• Information from the wildlife cards is entered into a database.
• Summaries of incidental observations for each park and maps of these observations are produced.

Years of Data

• 1986-ongoing
• The Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development has an ongoing record of wolf observations on Banks Island that was initiated in the 1950s.

Results

• Summaries of incidental observations of wildlife reported for Aulavik, Ivvavik and Tuktut national parks and surrounding regions in 1999 were developed in 1999 and 2000. Maps of bear and wolf observations from 1986 to 1999 were also developed. Additional summaries and maps can be produced as they are required using the wildlife cards database.

Wildlife card wolf sightings in Ivvavik National Park, 1987-2001