Gray wolves were historically distributed throughout Canada—from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island (learn more). But with European settlement and the expansion of agriculture, the wolf was exterminated from many parts of eastern Canada by the late 1800s.
Similarly, wolves declined in the prairies with the demise of bison, elk, and other prey species in the 1860s and 1870s. The western wolf population was further decimated by aggressive predator control programs, and wolves were virtually absent from the American West and adjoining parts of Canada by the 1930s.
Wolves have since recolonized portions of Canada, and currently occupy approximately 80% of their natural range. They still remain missing from the Maritime Provinces and the prairies, though, and are rare and vulnerable to human exploitation in areas that are more densely populated by people.
Wolves in Alberta
Conflicts between ranchers and wolves have a long history in southern Alberta, where the first wolf bounty was established in 1899. By 1907, this program had funded the deaths of 2849 wolves. Although there were periodic suspensions over the years, Alberta’s wolf bounty wasn’t officially terminated until 1955.
From the 1930s to the 1950s, wolves in southwestern Canada made a comeback as a result of expanding prey populations and a lull in wolf control. But their recovery sparked concerns about the loss of game species to predation, and the spread of rabies further incited anti-wolf sentiments. Thousands of wolves were poisoned from 1952 to 1956. At the end of this grim period, an estimated 500 to 1000 individuals remained in the entire province of Alberta.
Wolf control programs were moderated beginning in the late 1950s, and by the 1970s, wolves had once again regained their footing on the landscape. Today, despite continued pressure, wolves inhabit an estimated 60% of Alberta’s land area, and number around 5000 animals.
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