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Terasen Pipelines (Trans Mountain) Inc. Environmental Assessment TMX - Anchor Loop Project Section 5.2 5.2.9.4 Predator / Prey Interactions Predation and wildlife-vehicle or wildlife-train collisions are the most important factors affecting wildlife populations in the RSA in JNP and MRPP. It is noteworthy that other common limiting factors such as hunting and habitat loss due to logging, road construction and other developments are considered to be less important in the RSA in JNP and MRPP than outside the parks since these activities are either not permitted or are highly regulated. Numerous predator-prey interactions occur in the RSA and range from top predators, such as cougar and wolves preying on ungulates, to owls preying on small mammals, fish feeding on frogs and invertebrates preying on one another. Wolves typically follow key prey species to and from winter ranges and congregate at certain sensitive habitats, such as lambing/calving areas. Ungulate prey distribution in the RSA and LSA during winter is directly related to snow accumulation. Habitat selection and use patterns, and condition and health of the prey species are also considered to be important considerations in the analysis of predator-prey interactions. Other ecological factors may include ease of prey location, time and energy required to subdue and kill the prey species, the “risk-of-injury” factor, whether prey species occur as individuals or in groups, snow conditions, ability of prey species to detect predators at a distance and escape, and diversity and abundance of available prey. Several predator and prey species use the existing Trans Mountain alignment and other linear corridors year-round. These animals are believed to be foraging along the corridors but are also likely to use the cleared areas as movement corridors. A comparative representation of several predator and prey species’ use of the existing Trans Mountain pipeline is presented in Table 5.37. This table is based on the results of winter tracking field work and summer habitat use surveys. TABLE 5.37 PREDATOR AND PREY USE* OF THE EXISTING TRANS MOUNTAIN ALIGNMENT Relative Use1 Predators Low Moderate High Unknown Wolf Cougar Lynx Fisher Coyote Owls Hawks Bats Prey Elk Moose Deer Bighorn sheep Snowshoe hare Mice, shrews, voles Squirrels Muskrat/Beaver Note: 1 shading indicates relative use of alignment November 2005 Page 5-98 3739 Terasen Pipelines (Trans Mountain) Inc. Environmental Assessment TMX - Anchor Loop Project Section 5.2 5.2.9.5 Wildlife Mortality Wildlife mortality resulting from collisions with motor vehicles and trains in the LSA is one of the most challenging wildlife management issues facing Parks Canada and BC Parks, and wildlife managers in Alberta and BC. The transportation corridor within or adjacent to the LSA is used in every season of the year by numerous wildlife species. This trans-provincial corridor is used around the clock by freight and passenger trains, transport trucks, recreational vehicles, passenger cars and light trucks. The trend in wildlife-vehicle collisions is generally increasing despite the implementation of driver awareness programs, imposing reduced speed limits along Highway 16 and the implementation of measures to reduce wildlife-train collisions by CN Railway. Both JNP and MRPP have established restricted speed zones along Highway 16. The speed zones correspond to locations with a history of wildlife-vehicle collisions, key seasonal habitats and wildlife movement corridors. Locations in the LSA with high wildlife- vehicle collision potential are presented in Table 5.38. Wildlife-vehicle collisions occur year-round; however, the peak mortality period appears to be in the fall and early winter months (September, October, November and December) and in the spring to early summer (April, May and June). These peak mortality periods correspond to seasons of the year when many wildlife species are moving to or from seasonal ranges, moving for breeding purposes or are attracted to the transportation corridors for road salt and fresh spring food sources such as roadside grasses and dandelions, which are a preferred spring food for grizzly bears in the LSA. Highways and rail lines in this LSA are used as movement corridors for several ungulates and carnivores during winter months because the snow depth is often lower in the transportation corridors than in adjacent, unploughed areas. The highway and railway mortality information within JNP and MRPP is described below. This information is not available for the Alberta and BC segments of the Proposed Route. The number of wildlife-vehicle collisions reported represent only a fraction of the total number of animals killed within the transportation corridor annually. Jasper National Park A summary of highway and railway mortality information for JNP is presented in Table 5.39. Within JNP, ungulates are most frequently killed in vehicle-wildlife and train-wildlife collisions followed by bears and wolves. Elk and bighorn sheep are most often killed along the highway and rail line east of Jasper townsite (KP/KL 380.0). Moose and wintering bull elk in the upper Miette River valley and moose in the Yellowhead Pass area appear to be the most vulnerable species west of Jasper townsite. Road salt is found to attract ungulates to the highway and bighorn sheep feeding on road salt were observed east of Jasper townsite (KP/KL 370.0 to KP/KL 372.0). Wildlife-vehicle collisions involving elk and deer occur year-round in JNP. Mount Robson Provincial Park Within MRPP, moose and deer are most frequently killed in highway collisions, followed by bears (Table 5.40). Generally, the highest rate of highway mortality occurs during the winter months during times when moose use winter ranges within the valley bottom / transportation corridor, which is located in the LSA. Most highway and railway moose kills occur east of Red Pass (KL 449.0). Road kills of deer are more frequent in summer, which is probably related to the restrictive snow depth for deer in MRPP during winter months. Highway and railway deer kills most commonly occur west of Moose Lake (west of KL 449.0). Highway and railway collisions with elk occur most often in the Yellowhead Lake area (approximately KL 409.0 to KP/KL 414.0). Road kills within MRPP occur less frequently in fall and the fewest occur in spring. November 2005 Page 5-99 3739 Terasen Pipelines (Trans Mountain) Inc. Environmental Assessment TMX - Anchor Loop Project Section 5.2 TABLE 5.38 LOCATIONS IN THE LOCAL STUDY AREA WITH HIGH WILDLIFE-VEHICLE COLLISION POTENTIAL Restricted Speed Location Movement Zone on (KP/KL) Corridor Name Highway 16 Comments Alberta None None N/A N/A Jasper National Park KL 325.7 to KL 329.0 Fiddle River No Corridor from Fiddle River across Athabasca River. Used by elk and wolves. KL 336.0 to KL 337.5 Rocky River Yes (70 km) Corridor from Rocky River watershed across Athabasca River. Used by elk and wolves. KL/KP 365.0 to KP/KL 370.0 Palisades - No Movement corridor year-round use by elk, Athabasca River wolves and bighorn sheep. KP/KL 370.5 to KP/KL 372.0 Transfer Station Yes (70 km) High collision area-elk and bighorn sheep. KP/KL 374.0 to KP/KL 375.0 Cottonwood Yes (70 km) Deer, elk and bears. KP/KL 380.0 to KL 381.5 Whistlers Yes (70 km) Movement by wolves and elk. KP/KL 380.0 to KP/KL 405.9 Upper Miette Yes (70 km) Movement of elk, moose and wolves along Valley Miette valley west of the Jasper townsite to and from valley bottom winter ranges. Mount Robson Provincial Park KP/KL 405.9 to KP/KL 410.0 Yellowhead Pass Yes (80 km) High winter moose kill area. Important winter range and movement of moose from JNP to winter range in MRPP. Wolf dens nearby. KL 432.0 to KP/KL 434.0 Moose River- Yes (80 km) Moose River-Fraser River Corridor across Fraser River Highway important for moose, wolves and grizzly bear. KP/KL 446.0 to KL 450.0 Red Pass-Moose Yes (80 km) Movement area at west end of Moose Lake. Lake Important for moose year-round and grizzly bear spring green-up and berry season (July through August). British Columbia None None N/A N/A TABLE 5.39 TOTAL NUMBER OF ANIMALS KILLED ON HIGHWAY 16 AND CN RAILWAY TRACKS IN JASPER NATIONAL PARK (1980-2004) Species Highway 16 CN Railway Elk 849 430 Bighorn sheep 426 334 Mule deer 445 100 White-tailed deer 466 31 Moose 193 73 Mountain goat 19 0 Black bear 96 54 Wolf 39 21 Grizzly bear 3 11 Cougar 0 2 Wolverine 1 0 Red fox 1 0 November 2005 Page 5-100 3739 Terasen Pipelines (Trans Mountain) Inc. Environmental Assessment TMX - Anchor Loop Project Section 5.2 TABLE 5.40 TOTAL NUMBER OF ANIMALS KILLED ON HIGHWAY 16 AND CN RAILWAY TRACKS IN MOUNT ROBSON PROVINCIAL PARK (1988-1994) Species Highway 16 CN Railway Moose 104 416 Deer (mule and white-tailed) 62 248 Bear (black and grizzly) 24 96 Elk 12 48 Porcupine 10 N/A Coyote 3 N/A Wolf 3 N/A Cougar 0 N/A Bighorn sheep 0 0 5.2.9.6 Large Ranging Carnivores Large ranging carnivores were selected as wildlife VECs because these species are of special status and management interest, are important indicators of ecological integrity and play an important role in the food-chain. Grizzly Bears Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) are of special status under COSEWIC, in Alberta and BC and are discussed in Section 5.2.10. Black Bears American black bears (Ursus americanus) are not currently considered at risk in Canada.