Our Projects
Research in the WECE Lab is focused on the interface of human and wildlife interactions, and uses a blend of natural and social science methods. Research themes include habitat connectivity through agricultural lands, population distribution and dispersal across the prairies, wildlife health, and human perceptions of wildlife. Our typical study species are ungulates living on the Canadian prairies, with a few notable exceptions (like polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba!).
Feral Wild Boar
This project investigates wild boar distribution in Canada - a novel study! We are surveying hunters, landowners, aboriginal people, farmers, conservation officers, biologists and other wildlife experts across Canada to systematically document sightings of wild boar. This, along with trail camera photos submitted to our team, will ultimately create a baseline map of confirmed occurrences that can be monitored over the years to determine the spread of wild boar and to support management efforts. In addition, we fit GPS satellite collars on a number of wild boar in Saskatchewan to better understand their movements and resource selection. Goals are to determine home range use and seasonal habitat selection, identify daily movement patterns, and assess areas of spatial overlap between feral wild boar and agricultural production (including domestic swine operations).
Farmland Moose
Moose have moved from the boreal regions of Saskatchewan into the agriculturally-dominated southern region in the last few decades, and little is known about their ecology in this new environment. Using global positioning system (GPS) collars, this research will provide information on habitat and resource selection and use, as well as movement patterns of 40 female moose in the Saskatchewan farmland region. The program will address a variety of important concerns about moose in the rural landscape, such as vehicle collisions and property damage.
Northern Prairie Elk
The project began in Manitoba with the study of an elk population residing there. It is a long-term research program that is now expanding into Saskatchewan and Alberta. With the ever-expanding transformation of grasslands into intensive agriculture, the elk population has been forced to move largely into parks and protected areas as the natural habitat is disappearing, and what is left has been largely fragmented. At this point, much is still unknown about northern prairie elk, and our team is working to learn more by combining evolutionary and ecological approaches with the human dimensions of living with wildlife
Northern Prairie Elk
The project began in Manitoba with the study of an elk population residing there. It is a long-term research program that is now expanding into Saskatchewan and Alberta. With the ever-expanding transformation of grasslands into intensive agriculture, the elk population has been forced to move largely into parks and protected areas as the natural habitat is disappearing, and what is left has been largely fragmented. At this point, much is still unknown about northern prairie elk, and our team is working to learn more by combining evolutionary and ecological approaches with the human dimensions of living with wildlife
Other Projects
We are part of a team working to inform a management strategy for woodland caribou in Saskatchewan. Our work in this project focuses mainly on drawing from local ecological knowledge of communities in the province, as well as educational outreach.
We are part of a team working to understand how information about wildlife and community health is disseminated within Sri Lanka communities. Our work in this project focuses mainly on surveying community members.
We are using trail camera photos set up in Wapusk National Park, Manitoba to document wildlife in the area. Our work is mainly focusing on finding a quantitative means of measuring polar bear body condition as a proxy for bear health, and linking that to a changing climate.
Funding Sources
- Fish and Wildlife Development Fund
- Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk
- Growing Forward II