John and Mary Theberge have been studying wolves for more than 40 years. They discovered early in their career that some people look at a wolf and see beauty, and others see an evil menace which should be destroyed. That single contrast in views has been at the heart of a lifelong struggle to save the wolves of Algonquin Park.
Over the past 100 years, the wolf has been villianized as a threat to farm animals, pets and humans. Fear of them has been the justification for the near annihilation of the species with the approval of the government agencies which are mandated to protect our wildlife. The wolf plays an important role in the balance of nature yet it has been exempt from protection even as some sub species have become extinct in North America. Why is the wolf so hated?
In 1970 John Theberge was one of the University of Waterloo’s newest professors. He had been hired because of his extensive knowledge of wolves. John began his “wolf life” as a high school student doing research for Dr. Douglas Pimlott, Canada’s leading expert on wolves and one of the most vocal advocates for conservation of the environment and wildlife. In the mid 70s, Dr. Pimlott and his grad students had been banned from Algonquian Park as punishment for critizing the government’s policies on logging and conservation of wildlife in the park. Twenty years later, John Theberge would experience the same injustice in an attempt to silence his public plea to save one of the most important wolf populations in North America.
One of the unique aspects of the Algonquin Park wolf population is that it is one of the most pure strains of wolves on the continent. Wolves will interbreed with coyottes in certain circumstances. A trap line could in one night kill an entire pack leaving the territory open for coyettes to move into. Eventually, inbreeding will result. But the protection within the park helped to keep the population from interbreeding and these wolf packs were the last and best example of a pure wolf in North America.
Over the years John and his wife Mary tracked, observed and became familiar with many of the individual wolves in the park. They were as familiar with their traits, personalities and habits as any of their co-workers and even their family. Their “Predator and Prey” studies revealed the wolf’s importance to the stability of the wildlife resource in the park and in Canada. Time and time again wolf packs would follow migrating deer outside of the park and be senselessly destroyed by hunters or trappers. Nothing was more disturbing than to find an entire pack killed by the cruel and painful neck choke trap-lines often set up just outside the boundaries of the park. No doubt the hardest part of the Theberge work was discovering that the wolves they knew, loved and were studying were killed just because they were wolves.
John and Mary believed that if protection for wildlife in the park was to be effective it had to include the townships which surrounded Algonquin Park. Their proposal would have brought the protected area for wolves in Canada to 3% of the country. In spite of the meager plan, the Ontario Anglers and Hunters Association and the Ontario Trappers Association opposed any additional protection for wolves. The Ministry seemed unmoved by the killing of wolves and disregarded the research which showed that the wolf population within the park was threatened. Furthermore, they would soon prove to be the Theberge’s worst enemy.
In 1987 about 50% of the cost of the Theberge’s research was funded by the Ministry. From that position of power, they demanded that the research project be changed to focus on only one pack instead of the whole population of wolves. That was impossible at that point and made most of the research they had done of little value. They realized they had to find another source of support which wouldn’t try to manipulate the research. The World Wildlife Fund of Canada, a private charity, recognized the importance of the Theberge’s work and provided the needed funds. They had succeeded in eliminating the government’s interference, but only for a time.
John and Mary continued to speak out about the destruction of the wolves and the habitat in Algonquin Park. The government responded by trying to stop the research.
While the Thebergs’s were away, a conservation officer in the park approached 2 graduate students and confiscated their research notes. They eventually returned the notes but had used them to determine that the team had collared a bear which the Ministry asserted was a violation of their research mandate. The President of U of W intervened but to no avail until the Theberge’s lawyer was able to prove that the collaring had been authorized by another office of the Ministry – check! He also encouraged them to consider how the Ministry would appear to the public if one department testified in court against another – checkmate!! They dropped the charges.
John was a scientist and never imagined he would have to direct a battle like a general. The fight between the conservationists and the government had become an all out war! The government had resorted to what is known as the 4 D’s. First, they Denied there was a problem. When they couldn’t deny the facts any longer, they Delayed taking significant action; and when that didn’t work, they tried to diminish the momentum by proposing a compromise to Divide the group. As a last resort, they tried to Discredit the Theberges. The war had reached the discredit stage.
The Ministry took the position that the Theberge research was flawed and unreliable. To counter this attack on their credibility, they invited scientists from all over North America to review and analyze their data. The scientists confirmed that without intervention the wolves would disappear from the park and it was only a matter of time.
The Ministry was losing, and losing badly, but they did succeed in wearing out John and Mary. They needed a change, so and in 2000 they moved to B.C. to undertake a new research project. They had no idea when they left who would take up the fight or if they would win the war for the wolves. But an unexcepted event turned the battle in their favour. There was a provincial election in 2003 and the McGuinty government came to power. Unknown to the Theberges, someone had shown Mr. McGuinty a neck snare that was legal in Ontario but outlawed in many other countries and he was moved by the cruel destruction it could bring. They also didn’t know that the soon to be Minister of Natural Resources, David Ramsay, had read John and Mary’s book, Wolf Country.
In 2004, Minister Ramsay announced a permanent ban on the killing of wolves in the townships around Algonquin Park. It was an unexpected victory but a hard fought battle which had taken more than 30 years.
The Theberges thought they were tired of fighting, but apparently they were wrong. In B.C. they have launched a movement to establish the first National Park in the province. They promoted a 20,000 person petition and are writing another proactive book in the continued fight to end the destruction of the wolf population in Canada and in the US. They are passionate and compassionate forerunners. They live by and for their values and have given their lives for something important to all Canadians. They have also taught us to fight for right, the beauty and value of all of nature and to accept our duty to protect it.
In the overview, it appears that the Theberges didn’t choose this battle, it chose them. But once engaged, they fought it well. They were uniquely positioned, prepared and equipped for the battle. It is not over yet. Their opponents have recently asked for a review of the law. In the long view of history, however, John and Mary Theberge will be remembered as timely visionaries who led the fight for justice for wildlife and the environment and as forerunners of conservation in Canada.
For more information about the Theberges and their work check these resources - Book: “Wolf Country: Eleven Years Tracking The Algonquin Wolves”, Web site: www.wolfstudies.ca, Video: “Language of Wolves” by Canadian Geographic, and their new book: “Life Support – 17 Major Themes of Conservation” to be released Spring, 2009.
