Abstract
We conducted large-scale, replicated experiments to test the effects of two parallel power lines on area use, behaviour, and activity of semidomestic reindeer in enclosures. Yearling female reindeer were released into four50×400 m enclosures; two treatment enclosures with power lines and two control enclosures. Reindeer from two herds, one from Kautokeino (domestic tame) and one from Vågå, (domestic wild) were tested separately and compared. Individual location within the enclosures was not affected by the power lines. Effects on restless behaviour were ambiguous, with slightly more restless behaviour in the treatment enclosures for the domestic tame reindeer, while the domestic wild reindeer maintained a stable level in the treatment enclosures, increasing with time in the control enclosures. Activity changes were slightly more common among animals within treatment enclosures for both herds, with no indication of habituation during the experiment. The domestic wild reindeer had more than three times the amount of restless behaviour than the domestic tame reindeer. Our study indicates that for reindeer in enclosures, the disturbance from a power line construction is negligible. This suggests that power lines are a minor disturbing factor compared to human handling when using fenced in areas like grazing gardens in reindeer husbandry.
Highlights
Roads, railroads, power transmission lines, pipe lines and similar linear features that crisscross animal habitats, may cause aversion or stress because of disturbances associated with the linear object, such as noise or movement from vehicles and people [1, 2]
The purpose of this study was to investigate direct effects of power lines on the area use and behaviour of semidomesticated reindeer in four enclosures: two treatment enclosures with power lines, and two control enclosures with no power lines
The enclosure dimension of 50 × 400 m was designed to provide an eventual gradient in the treatment enclosures with decreasing effect of the power lines at increasing distances away from them
Summary
Railroads, power transmission lines, pipe lines and similar linear features that crisscross animal habitats, may cause aversion or stress because of disturbances associated with the linear object, such as noise or movement from vehicles and people [1, 2]. Such features’ visual appearance in the landscape may influence animal movement if an animal perceives the feature as an obstacle, such as a fence or wall. Another study found no barrier or aversion effects from a power line in North Ottadalen on wild reindeer migration or grazing behaviour [8].
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