Two of this year's pups from the Bow Valley wolf pack - Date unknown Owen Slater.

27 August 2013

Train Strikes Kill Wolf Pup and
Black Bear in Banff National Park

Banff Alberta - One of this year's wolf pups was likely killed last weekend on the railway tracks in Banff National Park.
 
Around 1 a.m. Friday, a Canadian Pacific train operator reported hitting and killing a wolf pup on the tracks a few kilometres east of Castle junction.
 
"Our wildlife officer was not able to get to the scene to do the investigation until the following morning," said Steve Michel, a human-wildlife conflict specialist with Banff National Park.
 
"So when they went out at 7 a.m. and walked the long stretch of tracks on either side of the exact mileage where the incident was reported, they weren't able to locate any carcass.
 
"We have no idea if the animal was killed or if it may have survived and was badly injured."
 
Michel said five pups were born this year as part of the Bow Valley wolf pack, which frequents the area.
 
Guenther Bloch, a Canmore canid and wolf behaviour expert, said it's been too busy in the area to see the wolf pups this summer, but he wasn't surprised when he heard one has already been killed by a train.
 
"It's the usual," he said, noting wildlife continue to get hit along the railway tracks.
 
If the death of the pup is confirmed, it would be the second mortality from the well-known Bow Valley pack this year.
 
A yearling wolf was also killed on the tracks in April.
 
Three black bears in Banff National Park have also died after being hit by trains this year, including one last weekend.
 
Around 9 p.m. Saturday, Michel said a young adult male was struck and killed near Hillsdale Meadows, a curvy section of track with steep banks.
 
"It's historically been an area where we do have increased mortality because there are limited escape options for wildlife there," he said, noting the curves could have been a factor in the bear death.
 
"Or, it may have just been a bear in the wrong place at the wrong time."
 
"It doesn't appear there were any attractants on the track itself, no grain, or carcass, or anything like that."
 
Both Parks Canada and Canadian Pacific have been working to reduce mortality on the tracks as part of the $1-million joint-action plan aimed to prevent grizzly bear deaths.
 
The research is also expected to help wolves and black bears.
 
Colette Derworiz.

Vancouver Island
British Columbia
Canada