ResourcesCoastal Wolf Ecology

Project:

The objective of this project is to gain understanding of the ecology of Alexander Archipelago wolves (Canis lupus ligoni) in the temperate coastal rainforests of Southeast Alaska. Specifically, we are focusing on:

Seasonal predation patterns of wolves in coastal ecosystems – We are quantifying variation in seasonal patterns of wolf predation due to differences in prey vulnerability, and availability of alternate prey by investigating kill sites of GPS collared wolves.
Deciphering variation in coastal wolf diets across an island archipelago – we are investigating wolf diets using metabarcoding of amplified target DNA sequences of prey in wolf scats.
Assessing genomic inbreeding, genetic connectivity, and spatial structure in island wolves using high-quality and non-invasively collected samples – genomic data may help predict viability of geographically isolated wolf populations on islands.
Wolf population estimation in southeast Alaska using noninvasive methods – We have been using spatial capture-recapture and DNA from snared wolf hair to estimate wolf abundance on Prince of Wales Island since 2013.

Researchers:

Gretchen Roffler – Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Douglas, Alaska, USA