Gray Wolf Protection In New Brunswick

The gray wolf is considered to be extinct in New Brunswick, with no evidence of a breeding population in the region. In fact, wolves are believed to have been hunted to extinction in the province by 1860, just two years after legislation was enacted to encourage their destruction. However, there have been several reported sightings of wolves in recent years, with some conservationists believing there may still be small populations living in pockets across New Brunswick. These sightings have sparked discussions about the need to protect gray wolves from poaching and habitat loss if they are indeed present in the province. While their existence in New Brunswick is still debated, there is recognition that these unique creatures require conservation efforts to ensure their survival for future generations.

Are gray wolves extinct in New Brunswick?

The gray wolf is considered to be extinct in New Brunswick, Canada, with no evidence of a breeding population. The last reported sighting of a wolf in the province was in 1876, over 100 years before a hunter shot and killed a wolf in 2012. Genetic testing confirmed that this was a wolf, a hybrid of the grey wolf and the Eastern wolf.

In 2018, there were numerous reported sightings of wolves in the province, with a group of hikers near Grand Falls claiming to have spotted a pack of four. There have also been multiple reports from residents and hunters who have heard wolf howls late at night or seen wolf tracks near their homes. However, not all experts believe that these sightings are accurate, suggesting that the animals may be coywolves—a hybrid species created when coyotes mate with gray wolves or Eastern wolves.

Despite the uncertainty, conservationists believe that there may still be small populations of gray wolves living in pockets around New Brunswick. Biologists think that wolves were hunted to extinction in the region by 1860, two years after legislation was enacted to encourage the destruction of the species. If wolves are still present in the area, they need protection from poaching and habitat loss.

What is the conservation status of gray wolves?

The gray wolf (Canis lupus) was nearly eradicated from the contiguous United States in the 19th and early 20th centuries. By 1950, they remained only in the northeastern corner of Minnesota. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, greater tolerance, legal protection, and other factors allowed their range to expand in portions of North America and Europe.

In the US, gray wolves, including the timber wolf, are protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, although protections were removed at the federal level in 2021 before being reinstated in 2022. In Canada, the eastern wolf is listed as a threatened species under the Species at Risk Act 2002.

In 2022, a US District Court judge in Oakland, California, ruled that the US Fish and Wildlife Service acted improperly in removing federal protections for the animals, arguing that they had recovered within substantial parts of their range. This decision reinstated protections for gray wolves in the contiguous 48 states and Mexico, except for the Northern Rocky Mountain population.

In Canada, wolves are protected only within provincial parks, whereas all wolves in the contiguous United States receive some level of legal protection by federal and state governments. However, the wolf's protected status in Alaska and the lower 48 states continues to be a matter of debate.

The gray wolf's conservation status varies internationally. Populations in southern Europe and Scandinavia are relatively small but are increasing, and the species is afforded some degree of legal protection in most countries. Worldwide, wolves still occupy about two-thirds of their former range and have been classified as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources since 1996.

What is the difference between gray wolves and coyotes?

While gray wolves and coyotes share many similarities, there are some key differences between the two species.

Size and Build

The most obvious difference between gray wolves and coyotes is their size. Wolves are generally taller, longer, heavier, and more muscular than coyotes. Coyotes stand around 20-22 inches at the shoulder and weigh between 25 and 45 pounds, while wolves weigh between 50 and 100 pounds and have a shoulder height ranging from 27 to 33 inches.

In addition to their larger size, wolves also have longer legs and bodies, shorter torsos, and more elegant gaits. Their tails are also longer relative to their bodies, while coyotes have bushier tails that are longer in proportion to their bodies.

Face Shape and Ears

Coyotes tend to have more fox-like noses with pointed ears, while wolves have more rounded ears and snouts. Coyote ears are also bigger relative to their head size, and they are pointed rather than rounded like those of wolves.

Fur Colour

Coyotes usually have tan or grey fur, while wolves can come in a variety of colours including black, grey, mottled white, and brown. As wolves age, their fur can lighten into silvery blue or white.

Behaviour

Wolves are social creatures that live in packs year-round and are expressive and vocal, communicating through howls, barks, and growls. In contrast, coyotes spend more time alone, especially while hunting and travelling, and they are typically less aggressive than wolves. They do, however, defend their young fiercely and can be provoked if they are starving.

Habitat

Wolves generally live farther from human development and are found in remote areas, whereas coyotes thrive in habitats where people have transformed the natural landscape and can be found in urban environments, including cities.

Range

Coyotes are common across North America, spanning from Canada to Mexico and recently entering Panama. On the other hand, wolves are native to both North America and Eurasia, and their range includes select areas of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Tracks

Wolf tracks are significantly larger than those of coyotes, measuring about four inches wide by five inches long, while coyote tracks are usually just over half that size.

Diet

Wolves are apex predators and typically feed on large ungulates such as deer, mountain goats, elk, and bison. Coyotes, on the other hand, are both predators and scavengers that usually hunt smaller prey but will occasionally kill larger animals.

Calls

Both wolves and coyotes howl as a form of communication, but there are distinct differences in their calls. Wolf howls have a deeper tone and change pitch more smoothly, while coyote howls are high-pitched and often accompanied by yipping, yapping, barking, and yodelling.

What is a coywolf?

A coywolf is a hybrid species that contains DNA from coyotes, eastern wolves, gray wolves, and dogs. All of these species are members of the genus Canis with 78 chromosomes, which means they can interbreed. Coywolves are found throughout eastern North America, from Canada south to Virginia. They are also found in the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Coywolves are larger than coyotes but smaller than wolves. They have larger, stronger jaws and bigger skulls than coyotes, which allow them to hunt the plentiful white-tailed deer in eastern North America more effectively. They are also more adaptable than wolves, thriving in the countryside, suburbs, and cities.

Coywolves are the result of breeding between coyotes and remnant populations of eastern wolves or a subspecies of gray wolves in the early 20th century. This occurred at the southern end of Ontario, in Canada's Algonquin Provincial Park. The animals then expanded throughout eastern North America.

Coywolves are not a new species, but a hybrid mix. They are sometimes referred to as "woyotes" or "wolfotes". While they are similar to coyotes, they have some behavioral and physiological differences. For example, they are bolder, more cooperative, and reach sexual maturity later.

The percentage of each species in the genetic admixture of a coywolf differs depending on where it is found. In the Northeastern US, the percentage of coyote DNA is between 60 and 84 percent, with between 8 and 25 percent wolf DNA and around 10 percent dog DNA. In the Deep South, the coyote-wolf-dog percentage ratio is more like 91:4:5.

What is the history of gray wolves in New Brunswick?

The history of gray wolves in New Brunswick is a long and complex one, dating back centuries. While wolves are considered extinct in the province today, there is a rich historical presence of these creatures in the region.

Wolves were once native to New Brunswick and played a significant role in the ecological landscape. However, due to competition with humans, they were extirpated from the area. The last documented wolf in New Brunswick was killed in 1876, and for over a century, there were no confirmed sightings of these creatures in the province.

In 2012, however, a remarkable discovery was made. A hunter in Saint Simon on New Brunswick's Acadian Peninsula shot and killed a large canine, believing it to be a coyote. Genetic testing confirmed that this animal was, in fact, a wolf - a hybrid of a gray wolf and an eastern wolf. This finding marked the first confirmed wolf sighting in New Brunswick in over 150 years.

The surprising return of the wolf sparked interest and intrigue among scientists and conservationists. Further analysis revealed that this wolf, weighing around 85-90 pounds, had likely crossed the frozen St. Lawrence River from Quebec, where hybrids are known to thrive.

While this particular wolf was an anomaly, it ignited a discussion about the potential return of wolves to New Brunswick. Scientists and conservationists debated the possibility of wolves recolonizing the region, filling an ecological void as large predators.

In recent years, there have been numerous reported sightings of wolves in the province. In 2018, a group of hikers near Grand Falls claimed to have spotted a pack of four wolves. Additionally, residents and hunters have reported hearing wolf howls at night and seeing wolf tracks near their homes. These sightings have led to conservation efforts and a recognition of the need to protect these creatures from poaching and habitat loss.

While the presence of gray wolves in New Brunswick is still a subject of debate, the history of these creatures in the region is undeniable. The story of the gray wolf in New Brunswick is one of extinction, resilience, and the potential for rebirth.

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