June 28, 2010

2010 Trip: No Collaring?

Although we had hoped to collar a few remaining members of Brutus's pack in July 2010, that possibility is now in doubt.  We were very fortunate to receive approval in 2009 to collar Brutus because native people in Nunavut and other areas of northern Canada do not easily accept collaring animals. We are scheduled to arrive on Ellesmere Island on July 3, weather permitting, but our permit application for collaring has not yet been approved. We understand that there is considerable opposition to our
collaring more wolves or any muskoxen.

Assuming our permit to observe the Eureka wolves is approved, Dean Cluff, Dan MacNulty, and I will do what we can to locate this year's den and to examine as many probable kill locations as we can, based on Brutus's data. Thus we will report our progress here as we proceed.

And we are still attempting to discuss our collaring with the local Inuit, hoping that they will allow us to deploy at least one collar on a wolf.

Dave 

3 comments:

  1. Taina from FinlandJune 28, 2010

    Why the local people do not accept collaring wolves or another animals?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Taina,
    It seems to be a cultural concern. Perhaps they feel it is an intrusion.
    Dave

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJune 28, 2010

    I don't think white wolfs should be collared with black collars anyways. Animals in the north have evolved white for a reason.

    ReplyDelete