41 cameras set on Whitehorse wildlife corridor yield surprising results

A conservation group got a close look at the wildlife in Whitehorse over the summer as it studied the impact of human activity in the area.

Between May and September, the Yukon chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) set up 41 camera traps in McIntyre Creek, a 42-square-kilometre area that cuts through the city and happens to be a popular spot for recreation.

Maegan Elliott, a conservation coordinator, said there is a "knowledge gap" they want to fill.

"We just don't have a complete understanding of how different wildlife species are using the McIntyre corridor and how human activity is affecting them. And especially what species are there throughout the year, or at different times of the year," Elliott said.

Elliott said McIntyre Creek is known as a "wildlife corridor," meaning animals use it to safely pass through the city en route to the wilderness outside Whitehorse.

The area also carries cultural significance as First Nations people would travel up the creek to access hunting and fishing grounds, she added.

The cameras captured a trove of data, recording common species like coyotes, foxes and deer.

They also caught grizzly and black bears, moose, pine martens and a lone wolf. Elliott noted that neither the bears nor the wolf were located in the busy areas.

"It's pretty exciting to open up a camera and it's kind of like Christmas morning (where you) open presents to see what you got on the camera," she said.

Moose were a common sight, which came as a surprise.

"It was originally thought moose were more common in the area in the winter, and they were pretty rare in the summer. But we actually got quite a few moose and even cows with calves in some of the busy parts of the area," Elliott said.

"So that was pretty interesting to me, that the moose are still able to make a living there, even with all the human activity."

Along with the photos, CPAWS also made recordings of bird songs during May and June.

Too early for conclusions

Right now, the group is surveying wildlife tracks in the snow to see how wildlife is using the area. Elliott said that data will be compared to trails and roads.

"And that should give us a pretty good idea of how they're using the area and how our presence is affecting them as well," Elliott said.

At this point, Elliott said it's too early to draw any conclusions from the data, which has yet to be analyzed.

She said the findings will be shared with planners at the City of Whitehorse, scientists and First Nation governments.

However, she urged others to pay attention, especially as the City of Whitehorse revises its Official Community Plan.

"It's a really important area for our wildlife but also for people to connect with the area," she said.

"Sometime in the new year, they should have a draft out of the plan and that will have a vision for McIntyre Creek just want people to keep an eye out for that if McIntyre Creek is important to them."