How do human activities shape wolves' behavior in the central Rocky Mountains region, Alberta, Canada?

Wolves (Canis lupus) may be considered an indicator species for cumulative effects induced by human interactions. This paper describes the conceptualization and implementation of an agent-based model to investigate how different intensity levels of human activities affect wolf's behavior in the central Rocky Mountains region of Alberta. Most agent-based models for wildlife study include two components: an animal movement component and a set of environmental data layers that represent attributes of the physical environment over which the animals move. Our model consists of a wolf module as the primary component, and bear, elk, and human modules that represent dynamic components of the wolf's environment. The model was run for six months of the summer from April 16 to October 15 using seven sets of parameters replicated 15 times. The model was calibrated and validated with previously collected radio collared GPS data acquired yearly from 2001 to 2005. The simulated trajectories of wolves reflect similar movement patterns as indicated by the real trajectories. The simulations reveal that the wolves' movement and behavior are significantly affected when increasing the intensity of human presence. The modeling prototype developed in this study may serve as a useful tool to test hypotheses about human-wildlife interactions and guide decision makers in designing adequate management strategies.