White-tailed deer numbers are booming in Jasper National Park, which has the potential to adversely affect ungulate populations in the area as well as increase the number of wolves and cougars in the park.

Anecdotally, Parks Canada biologists have noted a substantial increase in white-tailed deer. It is not uncommon to see many near Highway 16 or Jasper Park Lodge. While there is no monitoring programming in place, their increased abundance could require further investigation.

“They are very difficult to count. In forested areas, there are no good ways to go about it. They are not gregarious like elk. They are forest species and difficult to find,” said John Wilmshurst, ecosystem science co-ordinator for Jasper National Park.

According to Wilmshurst, white-tailed deer were first spotted in Jasper National Park in the late 1930’s. Sightings were sporadic until the 1970s, when they were called the least common ungulate in the park. However, their numbers have steadily increased since then, as they are now one of the most frequently spotted animals in the park.

“If you look back at the history of large mammal counts in the park, you don’t get records of white-tailed deer until the 1930’s, and even then they’re not abundant. It’s not until the 1960s that they were considered a resident species,” Wilmshurst said.

While they can be difficult to distinguish from mule deer, there are a few telling signs. Of course, white tail deer have a white tail they flap up while running, but they are also slighty bigger than mule deer. Their antlers tend to point forward, while a mule deer’s antlers point upward.

Because there is no funding to study the deer, biologists are puzzled about their growth. The deer have also become a source of food for large predators near Jasper. White-tailed deer are the main food source for cougars, and wolves have also taken to hunting them. Wolves eat three deer to every elk they kill.

“People thought (deer) were too small for wolves, but they’ve become a big prey because they are so abundant,” Wilmshurst said.

The increase in white-tailed deer could also be a contributing factor to the decline in elk in Jasper National Park. According to Wilmshurst, there are less than 200 elk in the park, and about 75 of those live in town. Elk calves outside of the townsite frequently fall victim to wolves, he said, while those in town are relatively safe. If the number of wolves and cougars have increased, that means more predation on elk calves. Wilmshurst said JNP isn’t exactly sure why elk numbers are declining, but hypothesizes deer numbers could affect elk.

Deer populations could also affect Jasper’s iconic species-at-risk: the caribou.

As a species, white-tailed deer do not defend their young from predators, as they choose to hide their young rather than protect them. However Wilmshurst said they will hide their babies near mule deer, who are known to protect their young from coyote and wolves. By allowing another species to do more work, white-tailed deer gain a small advantage, he said.

“This artificially inflates the survival of white-tailed deer,” Wilmshurst said.

JNP would love to know how many white-tailed deer live in the park, Wilmshurst said, however there isn’t enough funding to pay for such research. There have been thousands of academic papers written on white-tail deer, but the species is expensive to count. 

“In the Eastern United States, they are a problem,” Wilmshurst said. “They are a species that has taken advantage of grain farming.”

Parks Canada does monitor all roadkill for chronic wasting disease, which could prove deadly for the park’s ungulate population. Wilmshurst said if there is money available, it would be beneficial to study the population. He also anticipates more white-tail deer sightings in the townsite, as they follow the elk’s lead and find protection from predators amidst residential areas.

White-tailed deer are known carriers of chronic wasting disease, which can be spread to other ungulates. There have been no signs of chronic wasting disease in Jasper National Park, however it is beginning to show up in Eastern Alberta.

“The province is trying to do a survey in the eastern part of the province,” Wilmshurst said.

Chronic wasting disease can spread from deer to bighorn sheep, elk and caribou, amongst other species in the park.

Currently, the best JNP biologists can do is note the anecdotal increase in white-tail deer and see if the funding will flow to follow a species that is growing so rapidly.