Carnivore Mortality and Movements On and Across the Transportation Corridors, Jasper National Park and Mount Robson Provincial Park

The objective of this project is to identify mitigation efforts that will help reduce animal-vehicle collisions, particularly for carnivores, and preserve habitat connectivity across the roads and railroads in Mount Robson Provincial Park (MRPP) and Jasper National Park (JNP) in Canada.

Jasper National Park (JNP) and Mount Robson Provincial Park (MRPP), located in the Canadian Rockies, are home to numerous species of large animals, including coyotes, wolves and bears. The Trans Mountain Legacy Fund – which was put in place to improve the ecological integrity of the parks – identifies, prioritizes, and sponsors projects that meet the objectives of the fund. The objective of this project is to identify mitigation efforts that will help reduce collisions, particularly with carnivores, and preserve habitat connectivity across the roads and railroads in the parks, with a focus on Highway 16 and the railroad that more or less parallels Hwy 16. Researchers will obtain and analyze data to identify high mortality and movement areas, and select locations where mitigation efforts are likely to have the greatest benefit. The team will also identify suitable site specific mitigation measures, including cost estimates based on similar previous projects. Finally, the existing monitoring programs for road and railroad mortality and carnivore movement areas will be reviewed in order to provide recommendations for potential improvements to the programs. Finally, the effect of road mortalities on the population viability of selected carnivore species will be investigated based on expert judgment.