MANITOBA ENVIROTHON WILDLIFE ECOLOGY PROVINCIAL RESOURCES !1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to thank: Olwyn Friesen (PhD Ecology) for compiling, writing, and editing this document. Subject Experts and Editors: Barbara Fuller (Project Editor, Chair of Test Writing and Education Committee) Lindsey Andronak (Soils, Research Technician, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) Jennifer Corvino (Wildlife Ecology, Senior Park Interpreter, Spruce Woods Provincial Park) Cary Hamel (Plant Ecology, Director of Conservation, Nature Conservancy Canada) Lee Hrenchuk (Aquatic Ecology, Biologist, IISD Experimental Lakes Area) Justin Reid (Integrated Watershed Management, Manager, La Salle Redboine Conservation District) Jacqueline Monteith (Climate Change in the North, Science Consultant, Frontier School Division) SPONSORS !2 Introduction to wildlife ...................................................................................7 Ecology ....................................................................................................................7 Habitat ...................................................................................................................................8 Carrying capacity.................................................................................................................... 9 Population dynamics ..............................................................................................................10 Basic groups of wildlife ................................................................................11 Wildlife anatomy and identification .............................................................13 Basic anatomy ........................................................................................................13 Skulls and teeth .......................................................................................................19 Dental formula ......................................................................................................................19 Specialized mammalian dentition: ...........................................................................................21 Skull identification and measurements .......................................................................23 Mammal Skulls ......................................................................................................................23 Bird Skulls .............................................................................................................................24 Horns and Antlers.................................................................................................................. 25 Animal acclimation and adaptation .............................................................26 Basic needs and adaptation .....................................................................................26 Habitat and specialized adaptation ..........................................................................28 Thermoregulation ..................................................................................................................28 Camouflage ..........................................................................................................................29 Behaviour .............................................................................................................................29 Wildlife and Winter ................................................................................................30 Adaptations to Cold ..............................................................................................................30 Hibernation ...........................................................................................................................30 Daily Torpor ..........................................................................................................................31 Seasonal Lethargy .................................................................................................................32 Acclimatization ......................................................................................................................32 Adaptations to Snow .............................................................................................................35 The ecological classification of animals’ adaptations to snow.................................................... 35 Behaviour in Winter ...............................................................................................................36 Trophic Ecology ............................................................................................37 Pathogens, Parasites, and Disease in Wildlife ..............................................40 Important Terms ......................................................................................................41 !3 Pathogen Examples .................................................................................................41 Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease) ........................................................................................41 Bovine Tuberculosis ................................................................................................................42 Chronic Wasting Disease ........................................................................................................43 Echinococcus spp. .................................................................................................................43 Giardia lamblia .....................................................................................................................44 Rabies Virus ..........................................................................................................................45 White-nose syndrome ............................................................................................................45 Winter Tick (Dermacentor albipictus) ......................................................................................46 Ecology and wildlife management ...............................................................47 Wildlife Management Techniques............................................................................. 48 Problem wildlife ...........................................................................................50 Pathogen and disease management ............................................................52 Endangered species ......................................................................................53 Invasive species ............................................................................................55 Climate Change ............................................................................................59 Wildlife Research Methods ...........................................................................60 Field notes ..............................................................................................................60 Population monitoring .............................................................................................62 Petersen Method (Closed population) .....................................................................................65 Diet reconstruction ..................................................................................................67 Basic and applied ethology .....................................................................................69 Animal Tracking in Manitoba ...................................................................................71 Mammals of Manitoba .................................................................................72 Order Soricomorpha ...............................................................................................73 Order Chiroptera ....................................................................................................74 Order Rodentia .......................................................................................................75 Order Lagomorpha .................................................................................................76 Order Carnivora .....................................................................................................77 Order Cetacea .......................................................................................................84 Order Artiodactyla .................................................................................................85 !4 Birds of Manitoba .........................................................................................86 How to Identify Birds ...............................................................................................86 Parts of a Passerine ................................................................................................................87 What size is it? ......................................................................................................................87 How does it fly?..................................................................................................................... 88 What shape are its wings? .....................................................................................................88 How long are its legs? ...........................................................................................................89 What shape is its tail or bill?..................................................................................................