A key element of the research is to understand the movement patterns and hunting behaviours of wolves and cougars in the region. This information, paired with documented patterns of human activity, help to identify areas of potential carnivore-human interactions and conflict. Carnivore scats, when collected, show where carnivores have been and when analyzed, show which prey species are being targeted.
The WildCoast Project is an initiative that was started by the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve in 2004, with partners such as the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust (CBT). If you are interested in more information about this project, take a look at the WildCoast Primer. It presents a brief summary of the WildCoast research, along with implications for management and prevention and encouter response guidelines. You can find a copy of the Primer on the CBT website here.
CWFS is working to complete the diet analysis of the carnivore scat samples, to update the existing diet analysis database and to provide reports on prey patterns observed in the samples. CWFS is also working with the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve (PRNRP) to develop and print a WildCoast Guidebook to share with local tourism operators.