Classification: Public

Environment and Parks, Government of Alberta Published December 2020 SSR Predator Compensation 2015 to 2019: South Saskatchewan Region Photo Credit: Unknown ISBN 978-1-4601-4958-4 © Government of Alberta 2020 This document is made available under the Open Government Licence – Alberta (https://open.alberta.ca/licence).

2 SSR Predator Compensation 2015 to 2019 Classification: Public

Table of Contents

Introduction ...... 5 Study Area ...... 5 Methodology ...... 7 Results ...... 7 Predator Claims by District ...... 8 Predator Claims by Region ...... 16 Conclusion ...... 20

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List of Figures

Figure 1. SSR Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Districts ...... 6 Figure 2. Rocky Mountain House Compensation Claims………………………………………………8

Figure 3. Sundre-Olds Compensation Claims………………...... ………………………………………9

Figure 4. Cochrane-Canmore Compensation Claims………………...... ………………………….…10

Figure 5. High River Compensation Claims ...... 11 Figure 6. Claresholm Compensation Claims ...... 12 Figure 7. Blairmore Compensation Claims ...... 13 Figure 8. Pincher Creek Compensation Claims ...... 14 Figure 9. Cardston Compensation Claims ...... 15 Figure 10. SSR Compensation Claims ...... 17 Figure 11. SSR Predator specific annual Compensation Claims ...... 18 Figure 12. SSR Predator / prey Compensation Claims ...... 18 Figure 13. SSR Prey specific District Compensation Claims…...……………………………………19

Figure 14. SSR Paid Compensation Claims…………………………………………………………...20

4 SSR Predator Compensation 2015 to 2019 Classification: Public

Introduction

The Wildlife Predator Compensation Program provides compensation to ranchers whose livestock are killed or injured by wildlife predators. Compensation is covered for cattle, bison, sheep, swine and goats. It does not cover horses, donkeys, or exotic animals such as llamas, alpacas or wild boar. The program covers those animals attacked by wolves, grizzly bears, black bears, cougars and eagles. Coyotes and other wildlife are not included. This Predation Summary includes those Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Districts that fall within the South Saskatchewan region (SSR) (Figure1).

The costs of veterinary care and medication associated with the loss of an animal is compensated up to the value of the animal based on the average commercial value for the type and class of livestock on the day it was killed. Incidents where predators are feeding on dead livestock that dies of disease or other causes than predation are not compensated.

Funding for the Wildlife Predator Compensation Program comes from dedicated revenue from the sale of recreational hunting and fishing licences in Alberta and from the federal government. Study Area

The SSR study area includes the South Saskatchewan and Milk River basins. The region includes multiple cities, towns and villages, First Nations Reserves and numerous Parks and Protected areas. It accounts for 1.6 million people or 45% of the total population of Alberta. The SSR has a diversified economy that includes strong energy, agricultural, manufacturing, tourism and forestry sectors and a fast developing renewable energy industry.

The SSR incorporates six Natural regions including Grassland, Parkland, Foothills and Rocky Mountains. This diverse landscape extending eastwards from the Rocky Mountains to forested foothills to the prairies provides habitat for numerous fish, bird and plant species. Mammals such as moose, deer, elk, pronghorn, wolves, grizzly and black bears and cougars all exist within the SSR. The existence of large carnivores and domestic livestock, particularly in the western portion of the region, can result in livestock predation on both private and public lands.

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Figure 1. SSR Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Districts

6 SSR Predator Compensation 2015 to 2019 Classification: Public

Methodology

Predator compensation claims records were obtained from Government of Alberta Wildlife Predator Compensation Claim information complied annually between 2015 and 2019. In total 884 claims were reviewed and analyzed. Only Confirmed and Probable claims were included for this report; this included livestock injured or killed by the relevant predators. Claims were summarized by Fish and Wildlife Enforcement District, predator / prey species and the number of domestic animals involved. Those Districts that lie completely or partially within the SSR were included. Spatial and temporal information was also included for each Claim. Compensation claims were separated into Primary and Secondary claims. Primary claims include occurrences where a single animal or the first of multiple animals were attacked. Secondary claims identify multiple animals attacked during the same incident. For example, if a predator killed 5 sheep, a Primary claim would represent the first animal killed and Secondary claims would be applied to the other 4 sheep killed. Primary claims reflect the number of individual occurrences that occurred while Secondary claims reflect the total number of animals involved. Depending on the analysis, Primary and Secondary claims were combined or analyzed separately. The time of predation was was considered by season: Pre Berry (April 1st to July 15), Berry (July 16 to Sept 15) andf Post Berry (Sept 16 to March 31). These time frames are typically used to coincide with bear activity and den up and den emergence. In the case of monies paid out for compensation, dollar values expressed include both Primary and Secondary claims (i.e. all animals involved).

Results

Each District varies with respect to the predator species involved and the type and number of livestock that are killed or injured. This directly impacts how much compensation is paid out, i.e. individual cattle have higher compensation cost than individual sheep or goats. Prices for livestock also fluctuate annually with markets resulting in variable costs for the overall program annually.

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District Compensation Claims

Rocky Mountain House District had 47 Primary Claims approved between 2015 and 2019 (Figure 2). Wolves were the primary predator, accounting for 45 per cent (21 of 47) of claims. Cougars were involved in 28 per cent (13 of 47) followed by grizzly bears (21% or 10 of 47), black bear (4% or 2 of 47) and unknown bear (2% or 1 of 47). Sixty-three livestock animals were killed or injured including cattle (54% or 34 of 63 animals) and domestic sheep (46% or 29 of 63 animals).

Forty-nine percent of Primary claims between 2015 and 2019 (23 of 47) occurred during the Berry season. Wolf activity was constant between all 3 seasons while grizzly bear activity was most prevalent in the Pre Berry season and cougar activity primarily during the Berry season. There has been $47,776 paid out in compensation (Primary and Secondary claims) in this District between 2015 and 2019.

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Grizzly Bear Wolf Cougar Bear Black bear

Figure 2. Rocky Mountain House Primary Compensation Claims (N=47)

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Sundre-Olds District had 24 Primary Claims approved between 2015 and 2019 (Figure 3). Cougars were the primary predator, accounting for 50 per cent (12 of 24). Wolves were involved in 25 per cent (6 of 24) followed by unknown bears (17% or 4 of 24), grizzly bear (4% or 1 of 24) and black bear (4% or 1 of 24). Forty-five livestock animals were killed or injured including domestic sheep (76% or 34 of 45 animals), cattle (22% or 10 of 45 animals) and goats (2% or 1 of 45).

Primary claims between 2015 and 2019 increased as the seasons progressed, the majority occurring during the Post Berry season (50% or 12 of 24). Wolf and cougar activity was relatively constant between all three seasons. Cougar claims were most pronounced in the Post Berry season. There has only been one grizzly bear claim which occurred in the Pre Berry season. There has been $15,232 paid out in compensation (Primary and Secondary claims) in this District between 2015 and 2019.

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Grizzly Bear Wolf Cougar Bear Black bear

Figure 3. Sundre-Olds Primary Compensation Claims (N=24)

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Cochrane/ Canmore District had 67 Primary Claims approved between 2015 and 2019 (Figure 4). Predator species were equally split between wolves (37% or 25 of 67), cougars (34% or 23 of 67) and grizzly bears (27% or 18 of 67).One hundred and sixty-three livestock animals were involved. The majority of these depredation events have been on domestic sheep (53% or 87 of 163) followed by cattle (39% or 64 of 163) and goats (7% or 12 of 163). Almost half of the cougar / sheep predations occurred in 2019; 37 sheep were killed in one incident by an older, quite thin adult male. In 2018, a cougar killed an additional 14 sheep in one incident. These two incidents account for almost two thirds of the total sheep killed or injured between 2015 and 2019. Goat predation increased to 11 animals in four separate incidents in 2019; there had only been one goat predation between 2015 and 2018.

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Grizzly Bear Wolf Cougar Unknown

Figure 4. Cochrane / Canmore Primary Compensation Claims (N= 67)

Primary claims between 2015 and 2019 increased as the seasons progressed; 18% (12 of 67) in the Pre Berry, 36 per cent (24 of 67) in the Berry season and 46 per cent (31 of 67) in the during the Post Berry season. Cattle claims were present in all 3 seasons while sheep claims were only during the Berry and Post Berry seasons. There has been $102,108 paid out in compensation (Primary and Secondary claims) in this District between 2015 and 2019.

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High River District had 70 Primary Claims approved between 2015 and 2019 (Figure 5). Wolves were involved in 49% (37 of 70) of the incidents followed by grizzly bears and cougars (both at 23% or 14 of 70) and black bear and unknown bear (both at 3% or 2 of 70). There were 92 livestock animals killed or injured by predators during this period. Seventy-four percent (68 of 92) involved cattle, 23% sheep (21 of 92) and three per cent goats (3 of 92). Cattle predation numbers have been steadily increasing since 2016 (1) and 2019 (19) largely due to wolf activity. Wolves accounted for two thirds of the predation on cattle. Cougars were responsible for all of the sheep and goat predations. There was one calf killed by an eagle in 2015.

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Grizzly Bear Wolf Black Bear Cougar Bear Eagle

Figure 5. High River Primary Compensation Claims (N= 70)

Primary claims between 2015 and 2019 increased as the seasons progressed; 34 per cent (24 of 70) in the Pre Berry, 30 per cent (21 of 70) in the Berry season and 46 per cent (32 of 70) in the during the Post Berry season. Cattle claims were present in all three seasons while sheep and goat claims were only during the Berry and Post Berry seasons. There has been $102,182 paid out in compensation (Primary and Secondary claims) in this District between 2015 and 2019.

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There were 57 Primary Claims approved in the Claresholm District between 2015 and 2019 (Figure 6). Grizzly bears were involved in 54 per cent (31 of 57) of claims followed by wolf (16% or 9 of 57), unknown bear (12% or 7 of 57), and black bear/ wolves (both 9% and 5 of 57). There were 78 livestock killed or injured; cattle incidents comprised 68 per cent (54 of 78), sheep 27 per cent (21 of 78) and goats 4 per cent (3 of 78). Grizzly bears were responsible for the majority of cattle incidents (28 of 54) while cougars were responsible for 19 of the 21 sheep related incidents.

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Grizzly Bear Wolf Black Bear Cougar Bear

Figure 6. Claresholm Primary Compensation Claims (N=57)

The majority of Primary claims between 2015 and 2019 were during the Pre Berry season (44% or 25 of 57). Grizzly bear, black bear and cougar claims were present in all three seasons while wolf activity was limited to the Pre Berry and Berry seasons. Cattle claims were present in all three seasons while sheep claims were limited to just the Pre Berry and Post Berry seasons. There has been $79,192 paid out in compensation (Primary and Secondary claims) in this District between 2015 and 2019.

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Blairmore District had 42 Primary Claims approved between 2015 and 2019 (Figure 7). Grizzly bears were involved in 55 per cent (23 of 42) of the incidents followed by wolves (38% or 16 of 42); unknown bears (5% or 2 of 42) and black bear (2% or 1 of 42). The 42 claims all involved cattle and none of the claims involved multiple animals. There were no recorded grizzly bear claims in 2019.

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Grizzly Bear Wolf Black Bear Bear

Figure 7. Blairmore Primary Compensation Claims (N=42)

Over half of the Primary claims between 2015 and 2019 were during the Berry season (52% or 22 of 42). Grizzly bear and wolf claims were present in all three seasons while the lone black bear claim occurred in the Pre Berry season. There were no cougar claims recorded. These were all cattle claims which were present in all three seasons; 52 per cent (22 of 42) occurring during the Berry season. There has been $63,353 paid out in compensation (Primary and Secondary claims) in this District between 2015 and 2019.

SSR Predator Compensation 2015 - 2019 13 Classification: Public

Pincher Creek District had 140 Primary Claims approved between 2015 and 2019 (Figure 8). Grizzly bears were involved in 72% (101 of 140) of the incidents followed by wolves (17% or 24 of 140), unknown bear (7% or 10 of 140), cougar (4% or 4 of 140) and black bear (1% or 1 of 110).There were 155 livestock animals killed or injured. Ninety-four percent (145 of 155) of depredation involved cattle; 106 (73%) by grizzly bears, 27 (19%) by wolves, 10 (7%) by unknown bears and one each (1%) for cougars and black bears. Sheep were involved in six per cent of incidents (10 of 155); grizzly bears were responsible for six of them followed by cougars (4).

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Grizzly Bear Wolf Black Bear Cougar Bear

Figure 8. Pincher Creek Primary Compensation Claims (N=140)

The majority of Primary claims between 2015 and 2019 occurred during the Pre Berry (44% or 61 of 140) and Berry (43% or 60 of 140) seasons. Grizzly bear and wolf claims were present in all three seasons. Cattle and sheep claims which were present in all three seasons. There has been $219,270 paid out in compensation (Primary and Secondary claims) in this District between 2015 and 2019.

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Cardston District had 61 Primary Claims approved between 2015 and 2019 (Figure 9). Grizzly bears were involved in 70 per cent (43 of 61) of the incidents followed by wolves (20% or 12 of 61), cougars/ black bears (3% or 2 of 61 each) and eagles/ unknown bear (2% or 1 of 61 each). There were 113 livestock animals involved. Fifty-two percent of depredation (63 of 113) involved sheep. Grizzly bears were responsible for 92 per cent (58 of 63) of sheep claims which is unique in the Region where cougars are typically responsible for most sheep depredation. Many of these claims involved seven or eight sheep being killed / injured in one instance. Cattle were involved in 48 per cent of incidents (50 of 113). Grizzly bears accounted for 70 per cent (35 of 50) of cattle predations, wolf 24 per cent (12 of 50), black bears four per cent (2 of 50) and unknown bears two per cent (1 of 50).

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Grizzly Bear Wolf Black Bear Cougar Bear Eagle

Figure 9. Cardston Primary Compensation Claims (N=61)

The majority of Primary claims between 2015 and 2019 occurred during the Pre Berry season (54% or 33 of 61). Grizzly bear and wolf claims were present in all three seasons while cougar claims were recorded in the Pre Berry and Berry seasons only. Cattle and sheep claims which were present in all three seasons. There has been $79.799 paid out in compensation (Primary and Secondary claims) in this District between 2015 and 2019.

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Regional Compensation Claims

The eight Districts that fall within SSR accounted for 508 Primary Claims approved between 2015 and 2019 (Figure 10). Grizzly bears were involved in 241 (47%) of all depredation incidents followed by wolves (30% or 150 of 508), cougars (14% or 73 of 508), unknown bears (5% or 27 of 508349), black bears (3% or 14 of 508), eagles (1% or 2 of 508) and unknown species (1% or 1 of 508). There were a total of 751 livestock animals involved. Sixty-two percent of depredation (467 of 751) involved cattle. Sheep were involved in 35 per cent of incidents (262 of 751) while goats accounted for the remaining three per cent (22 of 751).

While grizzly bear incidents occurred throughout the study area, they are certainly more prevalent in the southern part of the region, particularly in the Pincher Creek area. Cougars on the other hand had more claims in the northern half of the Region. Wolf activity was relatively constant up and down the eastern slopes. There has been an increasing trend for both wolf and cougar claims since 2017 while the number of grizzly bear claims dropped in 2019 (Figure 11).

Generally, grizzly bears claims were associated with cattle while cougar claims were associated with sheep (Figure 12). The Cardston District does experience greater grizzly bear predation on sheep; 38 claims as compared to four from cougars.

All Districts, with the exception of Blairmore, experienced both cattle and sheep depredation (Figure 13). The percentage of cattle versus sheep claims varied considerably from District to District. For example, cattle were the prime prey in the Blairmore (100%) and Pincher Creek Districts (94%). Cochrane (54%) and Cardston (56%) experienced more sheep related incidents than they did cattle. The majority of sheep related predation involved multiple animals, ranging from two to 37 animals in a particular incident. It was common for both cougars and grizzly bears to kill or injure multiple sheep during a single incident

Grizzly bears and cougars represent a significant portion of the SSR compensation claims approved provincially. Between 2015 and 2019, 82 per cent (304 of 373) of all provincial grizzly bear claims and 80 per cent (189 of 236) of all provincial cougar claims originated within SSR. Conversely, only 20 per cent (158 of 785) of wolf related compensation claims were from the SSR. Wolves are the species with the largest number of claims in the province (785), most of those occurring in northern Alberta.

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Figure 10. SSR Compensation Primary Claims (N=508)

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Grizzly Bear Wolf Cougar Bear Black Bear Eagle Unknown

Figure 11. SSR predator specific annual Primary Compensation Claims (may include multiple animals per claim) (N=508)

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50 0 Grizzly Wolf Cougar Bear Black Eagle Unknown Bear Bear

Figure 12. SSR predator / prey Compensation Claims (Primary and Secondary) (N=751)

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180 160 Cattle 140 120 Sheep 100 Goats 80 60 40 20 0

Figure 13. SSR prey specific District Compensation Claims (Primary and Secondary) (N=751)

Temporally, Regional Primary claims were relatively constant for all 3 seasons. Predator species were active throughout the year as were their 3 main sources of prey (cattle, sheep and goats). At the District level though, predation varies from season to season. For example, the Cardston District experiences the majority of their claims during the Pre Berry season while the Cochrane, High River and Sundre-Olds Districts are busiest in the Post Berry season. Sheep predation (and cougar activity) is highest in the Berry and Post Berry seasons for High River, Cochrane and Sundre-Olds while Cardston District is highest in the Pre Berry season

There has been $707,555 paid out in compensation (Primary and Secondary claims) for SSR Districts between 2015 and 2019. The Pincher Creek District has accounted for almost a third of that compensation (Figure14). Provincially, SSR has 44% ($707,555) of the total provincial predator compensation (Primary and Secondary claims) of $1,597,856 paid out during this period.

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$219,270

$102,182 $102,108 $79,799 $79,192 $63,353 $47,776 $15,232

Figure 14. SSR Paid Compensation Claims (Primary and Secondary)

Conclusion

The Wildlife Predator Compensation Claim program is an important tool to allow landowners and wildlife the ability to share the same landscape. That landscape is a mix of both private and public land being utilized by both landowners for livestock grazing opportunities and as critical habitat for large predators. The program recognizes the importance of assisting landowners who experience depredation events while balancing the needs of managing for sustainable wildlife populations.

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SSR Predator Compensation 2015 - 2019 21 Classification: Public