Abstract
Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) are a threatened species throughout Canada. Special management is therefore required to ensure habitat needs are met, particularly because much of their current distribution is heavily influenced by resource extraction activities. Although winter habitat is thought to be limiting and is the primary focus of conservation efforts, maintaining connectivity between summer and winter ranges has received little attention. We used global positioning system data from an interprovincial, woodland caribou herd to define migratory movements on a relatively pristine range. Non-linear models indicated that caribou movement during migration was punctuated; caribou traveled for some distance (movement phase) followed by a pause (resting/foraging phase). We then developed resource selection functions (RSFs), using case-controlled logistic regression, to describe resting/foraging sites and movement sites, at the landscape scale. The RSFs indicated that caribou traveled through areas that were less rugged and closer to water than random and that resting/foraging sites were associated with older forests that have a greater component of pine, and are further from water than were random available locations. This approach to analyzing animal location data allowed us to identify two patterns of habitat selection (travel and foraging/resting) for caribou during the migratory period. Resultant models are important tools for land use planning to ensure that connectivity between caribou summer and winter ranges is maintained.
Highlights
Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) populations are declining i n west-central Alberta, and the species is classified as threatened i n both Alberta and British Columbia, and is listed federally as threatened by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife i n Canada (COSEWIC)
Factors recognized as threats to population persistence are habitat alteration and loss, climate change, and predation, predation is often considered to be a proximate contributor to caribou declines (Thomas & Gray, 2002)
Acteristics of many migratory routes have been documented, little is known about caribou habitat use along these routes. We address this by assessing habitat use along migration routes for the Narraway caribou herd in west-central Alberta and east-central British Columbia
Summary
Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) populations are declining i n west-central Alberta, and the species is classified as threatened i n both Alberta and British Columbia, and is listed federally as threatened by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife i n Canada (COSEWIC). Factors recognized as threats to population persistence are habitat alteration and loss, climate change, and predation, predation is often considered to be a proximate contributor to caribou declines (Thomas & Gray, 2002). Caribou have evolved i n dynamic landscapes, and shift their ranges i n response to forest succession (Schaefer & Pruitt, 1991; Thomas & Gray, 2002). Current rates of landscape change associ¬ ated with industrial activities (primarily logging) are high and extensive (Schneider, 2002) and caribou. In some areas, increased industrial activities have resulted i n the direct loss of habitat and the displacement from calving and foraging areas Indirect threats exist due to increased predation risk as a result of increased predator (wolf; Canis lupus) access to caribou habitat (James & Stuart-Smith, 2000) and the disruption of antipredator strategies (Bergerud & Elliot, 1986; Bergerud & Page, 1987; Seip, 1991; Edmonds & Smith, 1991; Rettie & Messier, 1998; James et al, 2004)
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