Status and management of wolf in Estonia Peep Männil Estonian Environment Information Centre www.keskkonnainfo.ee Toomas Tuul
Legal Status Habitats directive Annex V: national exeption from Annex II and IV Hunting Law - game species (big game since 2002) Hunting regulations open season 1.11. 28.02 National management plan for 2012-2021 2
Monitoring Data collection Mapping of sight and track observations all over Estonia Collecting data (time, place, sex, body measurements, tooth samples, reproductive organs and DNA samples) from hunted individuals Winter track census on permanent transects all over Estonia Data mentioned above are collected by hunters Inspection of damage cases by officers of Environmental Board 3
Monitoring
Monitoring Data analyse Temporal and spatial analyse to identify the unique reproductive packs Aging of hunted individuals, demographic and spatial analyse of hunting bag Spatial analyse of winter track indexes Comparative analyse of all data to identify the changes in population status Made by Wildlife Monitoring Department, Environment Information Centre 5
Distribution in Europe Karelian Scandinavian Baltic Central Carpathian European Lowlands Alpine NW Iberian Italian Sierra Morena Peninsula DinaricBalkan 6
Distribution Winter track index Observations Hunted per 10007 ha
300 0,07 Kütitud isendite arv 250 200 150 100 50 0 1991 1992 Kütitud isendite arv Jäljeindeks 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Size of hunting bag and winter track index 350 0,06 0,05 0,04 0,03 0,02 0,01 0 Jäljeindeks Trends 300 250 200 150 100 Arvukus sügisel Küttimislimiit Kütiti 50 0 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012? Total number (n of reproductive packs x 10), bag limit and bag actual size
Population development since 2002 Reproductive wolf packs
Demography 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 150 100 50 0 50 100 150 200 Male Female Age structure of hunting bag 2006-2011 Average proportion of juveniles 66 % 70 65 Juv % küttimisvalimis 60 55 50 45 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Proportion of juveniles in hunting bag
Spreading of sarcoptic mange 11
Spreading of sarcoptic mange in wolf population Nakatunud isendite/karjade % 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Nakatunud isendid Nakatunud karjad Proportion of infected packs and infected individuals in 2007-2011 12
Damages 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 juhtumite arv isendite arv 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Number of wolf damage cases and killed sheep State compensation implemented since 2008
Research GPS-GSM telemetry 3 wolves have been collared so far since summer 2011
Genetics - hybrids in 2008 15
Management and conservation goals National management plan: keep the number of annual reproductions between 15 and 25 Other: keep the distribution maximum and density relatively equal over Estonia in suitable habitats zoning of habitats to districts with different hunting pressure: keep them away from farmlands and save them in larger natural habitats 16
1 2 3 Zoning 1. Distribution of damages 2. Density of wolves 3. Proposed management zones
Management Limit given for two parts: first one before and the second one during the hunting season Limits distributed currently by counties, during 2004-2007 by habitats (pack territories) Braking point found in 2008 and 2011 350 300 250 200 150 100 Arvukus sügisel Küttimislimiit Kütiti 50 0 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012?
Planned impovements Use the genetics of harvested juveniles to identify the different packs Use of individual harvested female`s age and reproductive status to create a model to predict population growth for next breeding season
Such type of adaptive management is an effective conservation tool when: Population is in good state and near the border of social carring capacity Robust monitoring system is implemented and results available Management objectives are clearly established Straight linkage between monitoring results and hunting quotas Hunting is well regulated
Such type of adaptive management is an effective conservation tool, because: Regular harvest helps to manage damages Regular harvest helps to avoid wide range fluctuations (both pradator and prey populations) Hunters as a key players are involved Attitudes towards wolves are relatively positive Relatively low level of poaching Hunters provide large amount of cheap basic data for monitoring
Thank you for your attention! Sven Zacek
PS! Golden jackal in Estonia? Shot in West Estonia in 28.02.2012
Photos made in Matsalu in 28.03.2013 Tõnis Ulm Local residents: Howling foxes are in Matsalu NP since 2010
Distribution in Europe Arnold, J., Humer, A., Heltai, M., Murariu, D., Spassov, N. and Hackländer, K. 2012. Current status and distribution of golden jackals Canis aureus in Europe. Mammal Review, 42(1): 1-11.