Home Range and Habitat Use of Adult Female Moose

Abstract

We estimated home range size and habitat use of adult female moose (Alces alces) in Grims6, southcentral Sweden. Fourteen adult moose (3-8 yr old) were radiomarked and located from February 1982 through November 1985. Seasonal and annual home range sizes and habitat preferences were determined. Seasonal home range size varied. Summer home ranges were almost 2x larger than winter ranges (9.1 vs. 4.9 km2). Summer ranges constituted >70% of the annual home range. Home ranges overlapped a mean of >10% between all seasons. Annual home range averaged 12.6 km2 and contained ?2 core areas. Core areas represented a mean of 85% of all locations but only 50% of the total area. All annual home ranges overlapped with >-1 home range of other females. Females preferred clearcuts and young and medium-aged forests. Mature stands and bogs were avoided by female moose. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 52(2):336-343 The increase in the moose population in Fennoscandia during the late 1970's and early 1980's has been related to an increase in the amount and distribution of food resources caused by changes in forest management and controlled, selective hunting (Cederlund and Markgren 1986, Haagenrud et al. 1986, Stilfelt 1986). The moose population varies in density between regions and local areas. Experiences from hunters and aerial surveys have indicated that many local areas contain few moose ( 1.0/km2) (T. Thirnhuvud, Flyginventering i Vaisternorrlands iin.-Analyser och firslag till prognosf6rbaittrande Atgiirder, Grims6 Rep. 48 pp., 1983). Managers consider local moose densities to be related to hunting pressure and food distribution (Cederlund and Markgren 1986). Proper management of moose can be facilitated with a better understanding of moose distribution and home ranges. Females are the basic unit for moose management; their density and age distribution determines overall production of calves (Markgren 1969, Saether and Haagenrud 1983). Females also contribute to habitat use of offspring (Sigman 1977), determine movements to seasonal ranges (Mytton and Keith 1981, Sandegren et al. 1983), and establish home ranges of their calves (Gasaway et al. 1980, Cederlund et al. 1987). Our objectives were to (1) estimate female moose expansion of, and fidelity to, individual home ranges during different seasons and years in a high density moose population; (2) determine female moose selection of forest habitats during different seasons; and (3) provide recommendations for management unit size and forestry practices. We are grateful to P. Y. Sweanor for comments and stylistic correction of the manuscript. We thank the staff at Grims6 for radiotracking. We thank P. G. Ahlqvist for marking moose. This study was supported by the Swedish Environment Protection Board.