Sea Wolf Island National Wildlife Area
Sea Wolf Island National Wildlife Area (NWA), locally referred to as Margaree Island, is located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 4 kilometers (km) off the coast of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
Description
Sea Wolf Island NWA is a sandstone bedrock formation. The Island is shaped like a whale's back with the highest point of its "hump" about 50 meters above the surrounding sea. The cliffs range from 5-10 meters at the southern end. The highest points are located along the northwest side and reach nearly 30 meters. As such, the island has no protective cove or points of easy access.
The water surrounding the island supports a wealth of migratory birds. Over 60 species of birds and 70 plant species have been recorded on Sea Wolf Island NWA. Colonial birds breeding at the NWA include:
- great cormorant
- great blue heron
- great black-backed gull
- herring gull
- black guillemot
- bald eagle
The vegetation of this small exposed island consists of dense white spruce stands on the lee side, low crowberry and creeping juniper at southwest portion. A shrub-grass cover with stunted white spruce occupies the windward side and north tip.
The great cormorant colony, consisting of upwards of 100 pairs, is significant since there are few colonies of these species known to occur in the region. Northern gannet and common loon are regularly observed around the island. In addition to the many bird species that make use of Sea Wolf Island NWA a variety of mammals occur on the island and frequent surrounding waters such as:
- snowshoe hare
- coyote
- red fox
- grey seal
- mink whale
- fin whale
Find more information on Sea Wolf Island NWA in the summary table below.
Management
Under the Canada Wildlife Act, NWAs are protected and managed in accordance with the Wildlife Area Regulations. The primary purpose of NWAs is to protect and conserve wildlife and wildlife habitat. For this purpose and according to the legislation, all activities in a NWA that could interfere with the conservation of wildlife can be prohibited. Consequently, most NWAs are not accessible to the public and all other activities are prohibited in all NWAs. However, some activities may be authorized through Schedule I.1 of the Wildlife Area Regulations or the issuance of permits as long as they are consistent with the management plan goals for the NWA. For more information, consult the NWA Management and Activities section.
Access to Sea Wolf Island NWA is not restricted. Activities may be permitted in accordance with the conservation objectives of the NWA management plan. Any authorized activities are listed in Schedule I.1 of the Wildlife Area Regulations; signage is also posted at access points. Public visitation is not encouraged, since colonial nesting birds are susceptible to human disturbance.
Authorized activities listed in Schedule I.1 of the Wildlife Area Regulations for Sea Wolf Island NWA, include:
- wildlife viewing
- hiking, but not rock climbing or rappelling
- non-commercial picking of edible plants and edible mushrooms
- boat launching and boat landing
- cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and skating
- sport hunting — including with dogs off-leash when hunting waterfowl or upland game birds — from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, if the hunting is carried out
- in accordance with any applicable federal permit and any authorization required by the laws of Nova Scotia for sport hunting in that province; and
- without the use of toxic shot
- sport fishing, in accordance with any applicable federal permit and any authorization required by the laws of Nova Scotia for sport fishing in that province, during the periods authorized by those laws
- trapping in accordance with any applicable federal permit and any authorization required by the laws of Nova Scotia for trapping in that province
- activities referred to in items 1 to 5 and 8 from sunset to sunrise, in addition to during the period referred to in subsection 3.1(3)
More information on access and permitting for Sea Wolf Island NWA can be obtained by contacting the Environment and Climate Change Canada regional office.
Map of the Area
Long description
This map shows the area surrounding Margaree Island (Sea Wolf Island) off the coast of Nova Scotia in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The boundaries of Sea Wolf Island National Wildlife Area are indicated. The protected area covers the majority of Margaree Island (also known as Sea Wolf Island) and is north-west of Rear Dunvegan. The scale on the map is in kilometers. Permanent water and roads are indicated on the map. A small inset national map shows the NWA’s location in Canada.
This map is for illustrative purposes only and should not be used to define legal boundaries.
Summary table
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Protected Area designation | NWA |
| Province/Territory | Nova Scotia |
| Latitude/Longitude | 46°22' North / 61°16' West |
| Size | 76 ha |
| Reason for creation of protected area | Protection of colonial nest bird colonies. |
| Date created (Gazetted) | 1982 - Legal description |
| International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Management Category | Strict Nature Reserve (Ia) |
| Additional designations | None |
| Keystone or flagship species | |
| Main habitat type |
|
| Listed Species under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) | None recorded |
| Invasive Species | None recorded |
| Additional Links | Birds: Mammals: |
| Main threats and challenges | Ecotourism pressures. |
| Management Agency | Environment and Climate Change Canada (Canadian Wildlife Services) |
| Public access and usage | Authorized activities listed in Schedule I.1 of the Wildlife Area Regulations for Sea Wolf Island NWA, include:
|
Note: If there is a discrepancy between the information presented on this web page, any notice posted at the NWA site and the law, the law prevails, as it is the legal instrument authorizing the activity.
Contact us
Environment and Climate Change Canada - Atlantic Region
Canadian Wildlife Service
Protected Areas and Stewardship
17 Waterfowl Lane
Sackville, New Brunswick
E4L 4N1
Toll-free: 1-800-668-6767 (in Canada only)
Email: enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca
Related links
- Sea Wolf Island NWA Management Plan
- Sea Wolf Island NWA Pamphlet
- Sea Wolf Island NWA on Google maps (Please note that the Google map is a complementary source of information and does not represent the official map or site name)
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