Willmore Wilderness Park Willmore Wilderness Park Prepared by Ted Ritzer, May 2002
Willmore Wilderness Park
Willmore Wilderness Park
Prepared by Ted Ritzer, May 2002
Willmore Wilderness Park Facts
• Established in April 1959
• Size: 4,597 square kilometres
• Trails: ~750 kilometres of trails
• Wildlife: Mountain Caribou, Moose, Elk,
Bighorn Sheep, Moutain Goats, Grizzly
Bear, Black Bear, Cougar, & Wolves
Access
• 3 Main Access Points:
• Rock Lake-93 unit campground, 5 km fromSE boundry of Willmore.
• Big Berland-18 unit campground, 8 kmeast of park, adjacent to the Berland River.
• Sulphur Gates-10 km north of GrandeCache off Hwy 40, no campground, stagingarea only.
46% of the use of Willmore is by equestrians
57% of the people that visit Willmore are from Alberta
Bighorn Ewes-female sheep
Bighorn Lamb
Lambs are born
Late May, early
June
Bighorn Biology
• Sheep stay in bandsled by old ewe, withmix of ewes, lambs &yearlings
• Rams over 3 yrs formtheir own bands inspring
• Rams rejoin ewes infall for the matingseason.
Bighorn Biology
• Bighorns are grazers,
feeding on grasses &
flowers, but they will
eat shrubs if they
have to
• Can live up to 14 yrs
• Predators: wolves,
coyotes, cougar &
golden eagle
Mountain Goats
Mountain Goat Biology
• Groups of nanniesand kids form duringthe summer
• Billy goats only jointhe females in the latefall for mating season
• They are betterclimbers thanMountain Sheep, andoccupy higher ground.
Mountain Goat Biology
• Can live to 14 yrs, like
Bighorn Sheep
• Are snip feeders, not
grazers
• Diet of grasses, sedges,
and rushes
• Predators: Cougars, &
Eagles, can attack on cliffs
• Usually safe from all else
if they can reach a cliff
Kids are born in
Late May to early
June
Willmore Wilderness Park
THE END
THE END
For further information on Alberta Parks and Protected Areas consult our web site at:
http://www.cd.gov.ab.ca/gateway
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