northwestern Ontario "The Land and Resources of the 

 Round Lake Ojibvva." 



The use of infra-red in remote sensing has been tested by 

 the Unit staff in conjunction with their other studies. Tests 

 have demonstrated that animals can be detected but not yet 

 identified as to species. Work is continuing on the refine- 

 ment of equipment and technique. 



PREDATOR UNIT 



The black bear has replaced the timber wolf as the major 

 predator under invesitgation. Work on wolves is confined to 

 laboratory studies on taxonomy, ageing techniques, and 

 analysis of reproductive tracts. 



Aerial surveys of polar bears were conducted along the 

 Ontario coast of Hudson Bay to maintain the surveillance of 

 numbers and distribution. 



The ecological investigation of the black bear was con- 

 tinued co-operatively with North Bay District. Studies 

 included methods of capture, range and movements, popu- 

 lation size, food habits, and behaviour. 



WILDLIFE DISEASES AND PARASITES 



The principal objective of these studies is to identify the 

 disease and parasites present in the wildlife of the province 

 and determine their frequency, incidence geographic dis- 

 tribution and effects. 



A collection of black bear tongues and diaphragms was 

 started to determine the status of trichinosis. 



A 10-year study of kidney worm in mink from Parry Sound 

 District was completed; it involved 1,400 animals. A report 

 on the study is in preparation. 



Examination of sick and dead ring-billed gulls indicated 

 that the unusually high mortality may be related to high 

 levels of DDT, Dieldrm and PCB's (polychlorinated bi- 

 phenyls) in this species. 



Rabies has shown an appreciable decline from the pre- 

 vious year. The red fox and striped skunk remain the most 

 important wildlit'e vectors. Progress is noted in the develop- 

 ment of an oral rabies vaccine for wildlife. Mr. D. H. Johnston 

 of the wildlife research staff had the opportunity to investi- 

 gate the European rabies situation while acting as a consul- 

 tant to the WHO-FAO Co-ordinated Research Program on 

 Rabies in Central Europe. 



UPLAND GAME AND WATERFOWL 



An analysis of the morphology of the prairie grouse popula- 

 tion on Manitoulm Island began. It demonstrated that about 



60 per cent of the birds there are hybrid prairie chickens 

 crossed with sharp tail grouse. This is an unusually high 

 hybrid ratio. A study of the courtship behaviour of these two 

 species has indicated how their behaviour e\'olved and how 

 it functions to prevent hybridization in most areas. 



A paper was published which discusses the shoulder spot 

 display, its evolution and function in the grouse family. 



Recoveries from blue/snow geese banded in 1969 show 

 that the bulk of the Ontario breeding colony moves west 

 along the southern Hudson Bay coast and follows the Great 

 Plains migration route via the Dakotas, Iowa and Missouri to 

 their wintering grounds in Louisiana and Texas. 



Eggs from geese, herring gulls and common loons were 

 collected for pesticide residue measurement. Levels of DDT 

 and its metabolites and Dieldrin were negligible in goose 

 eggs. In gulls, the levels ranged between 12.46 and 27.33 

 ppm which is not unusual in these species. Loon eggs 

 showed an appreciable load of these contaminants. Studies 

 on thickness of egg shells of loon eggs show a significant 

 decline in shell thickness over the past decades. There is 



Holding a mallard duck for banding at Morrisburg Bird 

 Sanctuary. Photo by B. Colvin. 



98 



