Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center for
Date of this Version
1955
Abstract
Jasper Park, with an area of approximately 4,200 square miles, is the largest accessible primeval wildlife sanctuary on this continent and as such its bird life is of the greatest interest. The meagre available records of earlier conditions indicate that noteworthy changes in the park's avifauna have taken place in the last 50 years. There can be little doubt that other changes will take place during the years to come. For this reason, then, if for no other, it seems desirable that as complete a record as possible of the current situation be made, for only against it can the significance of future trends be evaluated.
In 1943 the author spent a week in the Athabasca Valley in mid-April, and in July, August, and September travelled the south boundary trail, entering over Nigel Pass and passing by way of Jonas Pass and Indian Pass to the Brazeau icefields. From there in to Jasper the same route was followed as used by Clarke on his way out. The north boundary was ridden from Devona to Robson by way of Snake Indian Pass.
Field work of 1944 covered much of the same areas as that of the previous year. Beginning on May 2, the author, accompanied by James Hatter, ascended the Snake Indian to Blue Creek and Topaz Lake, worked the Athabasca and Miette Valleys trom Yellowhead Pass to East Gate and the Banff-Jasper Highway area, and finally travelled the south boundary by way of Poboktan Pass, Brazeau River, Southesk River and Pass, and down the Rocky to Jacques Lake. This time the Maligne Lake area was visited and the lake explored along its entire length. In December of the same year observations were made at Jasper and Devona. Additional field work was carried on in the Athabasca Valley in July, 1945 and in May and June, 1946.
Comments
Published in WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT BULLETIN, Series 2, Number 8 (June 1955). Published by DEPARTMENT OF NORTHERN AFFAIRS AND NATIONAL RESOURCES, NATIONAL PARKS BRANCH, CANADIAN WILDLIFE SERVICE, OTTAWA.