WOLVERINE ECOLOGY
Wolverine Watch is a citizen-science based project where the aims are to determine the abundance, distribution, and gene flow of wolverine (Gulo gulo) in the Canadian Rockies. In 2013 I was a field technician on this project where we back-country skied, or used a helicopter, to access remote baited sites where we were able to collect hair samples and trail camera pictures from wolverine. I was a featured Guelph Graduate in the University of Guelph Alumni Newsletter for this work.
My time was spent mostly in Banff, Yoho, and Glacier National Parks, but similar research has, and is, taking place in Kananaskis, Willmore, Waterton, and Glacier National Parks. The goal here is to get a sense of the Wolverine's current population density, distribution, and genetic variance across the Canadian Rockies. You can find out more through the Alberta Wolverine Working Group.
PUBLICATIONS
Stewart, F.E.C*., N.A. Heim*, A.P. Clevenger, J. Paczkowski, J.P. Volpe, and J.T. Fisher. 2016. Wolverine behaviour varies spatially with anthropogenic footprint: implications for conservation and inferences about declines. Ecology & Evolution 6(5):1492-1590 PDF
*equal first authors
PRESS RELEASES
BBC Earth: The truth about wolverines
CBC Calgary: Wolverine research shows increased stress due to development
Calgary Herald: Wolverines act like ‘smash-and-grab’ burglar at bait sites in developed areas
My time was spent mostly in Banff, Yoho, and Glacier National Parks, but similar research has, and is, taking place in Kananaskis, Willmore, Waterton, and Glacier National Parks. The goal here is to get a sense of the Wolverine's current population density, distribution, and genetic variance across the Canadian Rockies. You can find out more through the Alberta Wolverine Working Group.
PUBLICATIONS
Stewart, F.E.C*., N.A. Heim*, A.P. Clevenger, J. Paczkowski, J.P. Volpe, and J.T. Fisher. 2016. Wolverine behaviour varies spatially with anthropogenic footprint: implications for conservation and inferences about declines. Ecology & Evolution 6(5):1492-1590 PDF
*equal first authors
PRESS RELEASES
BBC Earth: The truth about wolverines
CBC Calgary: Wolverine research shows increased stress due to development
Calgary Herald: Wolverines act like ‘smash-and-grab’ burglar at bait sites in developed areas