Wolf's howl should be a solo performance
Mimicking animal's cry may be harassment, expert warns
By Darcy Henton, Edmonton JournalApril 5, 2010Comments (6)
The next time you feel like joining wolves howling at the moon, you might want to think twice.
Alberta carnivore expert Cam McTavish says it is animal harassment.
"When we have commercial groups or individuals or even researchers that are randomly calling wolf howls, I feel it is unwarranted," he says.
"In my opinion, it is a disturbing event in that wolves do react to these calls. If in their territory they hear another wolf howl, they have to respond to that wolf."
McTavish, 56, has spent 20 years studying wolves. He works as a consultant biologist in three Rocky Mountain national parks
Howls by even inexperienced wolf howlers can elicit a response and prompt a wolf to move either toward the howler to investigate or to retreat.
"If you are just playing around out there for whatever reason, it's a dirty trick to stress these guys -- either psychologically stress them or physiologically stress them -- making them expend calories they just often can't afford to expend. Nature just does not allow for a lot of foolish, useless movement." Parks Canada has banned elk bugling, a dangerous activity that can prompt bull elks to charge.
McTavish doesn't think there needs to be a law to limit wolf howling, but would like to see a program to educate park visitors about the consequences.
His comments, published recently in Jasper's community newspaper, the Fitzhugh, have sparked a debate among wolf specialists. Many have scoffed at his concerns, saying there are far more critical issues affecting wolves than the occasional howls of humans.
"It is somewhat controversial because some people feel there's just no evidence," McTavish said. "Some people think it is irrelevant."
He is adamant that indiscriminate howling is "playing around for no decent scientific purpose. "You are just disrupting a natural system for fun and games. Our intent should be to minimize our impact as much as possible."
Parks Canada says howling is not perceived as a significant issue.
"If it's done at a fairly low level, I suspect it's not a huge impact," Jasper Park ecologist John Wilmshurst said. "If it were to become increasingly popular, then I guess we would have to look at it more carefully."
Woodsman Bill Abercrombie chuckled when he heard about McTavish's theory.
"I'm not going to say it is ridiculous. Maybe the guy has a point, but I am not sure there are hundreds of people out there howling at wolves."
Abercrombie, 50, a trapper, outfitter and ecotourism guide, howls to locate nearby packs, but doesn't see how that would cause problems. He said there are probably 10,000 wolves in Alberta and they seem to be thriving.
If there was a huge downside to wolf howling, you would think they would have seen it by now at Ontario's Algonquin Provincial Park, three hours north of Toronto, where they have staged massive public howling events for nearly 50 years.
Rick Stronks, the chief park naturalist, said the public howls are held annually on Thursday nights in August. It is time of year when adult wolves are trying to keep track of their pups.
"We've had packs stay in place for a month or longer," he said. "That's a pretty good indication it isn't bothering them."
But Stronks said he's aware of Quebec research that suggests wolves may stop hunting to investigate human howls and that could sap some of the energy they need for hunting.
"Is it a dirty trick? We are deceiving them, but based on the fact they don't pack up and move, I don't believe we're doing a lot of long-term damage," he said.
"We get as many as 2,400 people out to an event. They will get a talk on wolves and perhaps get an experience of a lifetime to hear a wolf howling. We believe it overrides any negative effects."
His predecessor, Dan Strickland, wrote How to Howl for Wolves. It is available on the Friends of Algonquin Park website.
"There's something magical about an August evening when you hear wolves howling and people remember the experience for the rest of their lives," Stronks said. "I think it's a great thing."
Lee Foote, an associate professor in the University of Alberta renewable resources program, said the benefits to wolf howling may be significantly greater than the costs. "In the long run, you could make an argument the wolf has been an ambassador for the species. If that raises awareness in society for conservation, that's a pretty low cost investment.
"If you can make somebody's hair stand up on the back of their neck -- and that's not an easy thing to do -- you can fundamentally change the way people think."
dhenton@thejournal.canwest.com
http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Wolf+howl+should+solo+performance/2763595/story.html
