%0 Journal Article
%T Staqeya: the lone wolf at the edge of its ecological niche
%A Cheryl Alex
%A Chris T. Darimont
%A Dylan Collins
%A er
%J Ecology - Wiley Online Library
%D 2019
%R https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2513
%X In May 2012, a lone wolf (Canis lupus) appeared in Victoria, British Columbia (BC), Canada, a metropolitan area on the southern tip of Vancouver Island with a population of 365,000 (Fig. 1A, B). After sightings in backyards over a few days, the wolf settled in the adjacent Chatham and Discovery Islands. This wolf traveled a minimum of ~40 km from the nearest known wolf distribution, and through at least ~20 km of suburbia before swimming 1.5 km to the islands. The island chain comprises only 1.9 km2 of terrestrial area, with 1.2 km2 owned by the Songhees First Nation, while a portion of Discovery Island and islets occurs within provincial protected areas (Gomes 2013). Photos: Cheryl Alexander These islands, known as Tl'Ch¨¦s in the Lekwungen language of the Songhees Nation, contain a diverse array of terrestrial habitats including Garry oak (Quercus garryana) meadows, arbutus (Arbutus menziesii) woodlands, coastal Douglas©\fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forest, and vernal wetlands. Adjacent and productive marine habitats include tidal lagoons, eelgrass (Zostera spp.) meadows, rocky reefs, bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkana) forests, and extensive intertidal habitats. The political context in which the wolf exists is complex. Initial efforts by provincial authorities to capture and relocate the animal failed (Wilson 2016). Subsequently, the Songhees Nation named the wolf Staqeya (Fig. 1A), and assumed stewardship of him, noting that his arrival coincided with the passing of Chief Robert Sam, a member of the wolf clan who was instrumental in protecting the islands. To safeguard the islands and the wolf, public access is forbidden within the Songhees territory. Although prohibited by Provincial and Songhees law, domestic dogs have occasionally been brought to the islands, which have created conflict. On one occasion, Staqeya non©\aggressively followed a dog and his human companions. This event elicited renewed consideration by the Province to capture Staqeya, to which the Songhees remain adamantly opposed. The British Columbia Parks Service now educates the public rather than attempting to remove the wolf. The unique ecological and social©\cultural context of Staqeya has prompted us to reconsider the spatial ecology, dietary niche, and sociality of wolves, as well as to reflect on the challenges and opportunities of coexisting with carnivores. In collaboration with the Songhees First Nation, we employed noninvasive research techniques to examine the range, foraging habits and social biology of the wolf. Between September and December 2016, we visited the islands on
%U https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecy.2513