Viability Assessment of a Recently Reintroduced Elk ( Cervus elaphus) Population in Ontario, Canada

From 1998-2001, 443 elk were translocated from Elk Island National Park, Alberta and released into four primary release areas in Ontario, including Nipissing-French River, Bancroft-North Hastings, Lake Huron-North Shore, and Lake of the Woods. The objectives of my research were to assess the viability of the reintroduced elk population in Ontario and investigate management options that encourage demographic growth and stability.;To accurately estimate the size and composition of elk populations in Ontario, a sightability model including the variables elk group size and activity, dominant tree type, percent canopy cover, and percent conifer cover provided increased reliability for estimating elk numbers compared to existing methods. This model may be useful in other areas where elk density is low and sightability is poor due to dense forest cover.;Examination of cause-specific mortality revealed that post-capture myopathy and transportation related injuries were an important immediate cause of death for translocated elk, and should be considered a predictable factor in planning. Analyses of factors influencing survival revealed that method of introduction to the novel landscape and behaviour in the first years following release were important determinants of elk survival. Prolonged holding time prior to release can improve chances of survival.;Stochastic population models predicted that elk populations in the Bancroft-North Hastings and Lake Huron-North Shore regions are at relatively low risk of extinction, while those in the Nipissing-French River and Lake of the Woods regions are likely to decline over the next 25 years. Management efforts focused on improving calf survival and recruitment levels comparable to growing elk populations may be effective. Reducing transmission of Parelaphostrongylus tenuis in the most affected region, Bancroft-North Hastings, is also important and the potential impact of the parasite on eastern elk populations should be monitored.;Finally, although likely not important in the short-term, genetic diversity may be an important factor determining future persistence of elk populations in Ontario. Maintaining positive population growth rates, increasing population size, and maintaining population stability are strategies that favour retention of genetic diversity. Genetic augmentation should also be a consideration in regions with small populations and relatively low rates of population increase.;Key words: elk (Cervus elaphus), Ontario, reintroduction, management, survival, mortality, population viability...