ABSTRACT. Reproductive success of mammals is greatly influenced by food availability. Where wolves (Canis lupus) prey on migratory barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus), caribou migration patterns strongly influence food availability for wolves. However, industrial development in formerly undeveloped wolf range could also negatively influence wolf reproduction, either directly (by disrupting normal feeding behavior) or indirectly (by impacting caribou migrations). We used a cross-sectional timeseries regression to analyze eight years of wolf reproductive data with respect to spatial and temporal variation in caribou migration and economic development in a 49 900 km 2 area of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Reproductive success decreased as the distance from wolf dens to caribou migration routes increased, while the timing of caribou migrations had little effect. There was no measurable effect of current levels of economic development on reproductive success, although evidence suggests the potential for indirect effects. Continued monitoring is required to identify possible thresholds of adverse effects for wolf populations.Key words: wolf, Canis lupus, caribou, Rangifer tarandus, cumulative effects, disturbance, migration, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, predator-prey, reproductive success RÉSUMÉ. La réussite de reproduction des mammifères dépend beaucoup de la disponibilité de la nourriture. Là où les loups (Canis lupus) ont comme proie le caribou de la toundra en migration (Rangifer tarandus), le schéma des migrations du caribou joue un grand rôle sur la disponibilité de nourriture des loups. Cela dit, l'expansion industrielle dans d'anciennes aires de répartition non aménagées du loup pourrait aussi avoir une influence négative sur la reproduction du loup, directement (perturbation du comportement d'alimentation habituel) ou indirectement (impact sur la migration du caribou). Nous avons recouru à une régression chronologique transversale pour analyser huit années de données de reproduction du loup par rapport à la variation spatiale et temporelle de la migration du caribou et au développement économique dans une zone de 49 900 km 2 des territoires du Nord-Ouest, au Canada. La réussite de reproduction diminuait au fur et à mesure que la distance entre les tanières de loups et les routes de migration du caribou augmentaient, tandis que le moment choisi pour les migrations du caribou avait peu d'effets. Le développement économique actuel n'avait aucun effet mesurable sur la réussite de reproduction, bien que certains indices laissent croire qu'il pourrait avoir des effets indirects. Il y a donc lieu d'effectuer une surveillance continue afin de déterminer les seuils possibles d'effets nuisibles sur les populations de loups.
ABSTRACT. Wolves (Canis lupus) on the Canadian barrens are intimately linked to migrating herds of barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus). We deployed a Global Positioning System (GPS) radio collar on an adult female wolf to record her movements in response to changing caribou densities near her den during summer. This wolf and two other females were observed nursing a group of 11 pups. She traveled a minimum of 341 km during a 14-day excursion. The straight-line distance from the den to the farthest location was 103 km, and the overall minimum rate of travel was 3.1 km/h. The distance between the wolf and the radio-collared caribou decreased from 242 km one week before the excursion to 8 km four days into the excursion. We discuss several possible explanations for the long foraging bout.Key words: wolf, GPS tracking, movements, Canis lupus, foraging, caribou, Northwest Territories RÉSUMÉ. Les loups (Canis lupus) dans la toundra canadienne sont étroitement liés aux hardes de caribous des toundras (Rangifer tarandus). On a équipé une louve adulte d'un collier émetteur muni d'un système de positionnement mondial (GPS) afin d'enregistrer ses déplacements en réponse au changement de densité du caribou près de sa tanière durant l'été. On a observé cette louve ainsi que deux autres en train d'allaiter un groupe de 11 louveteaux. Elle a parcouru un minimum de 341 km durant une sortie de 14 jours. La distance en ligne droite de la tanière à l'endroit le plus éloigné était de 103 km, et la vitesse minimum durant tout le voyage était de 3,1 km/h. La distance entre la louve et le caribou muni du collier émetteur a diminué de 242 km une semaine avant la sortie à 8 km quatre jours après la sortie. On commente diverses explications possibles pour ce long épisode de recherche de nourriture.Mots clés: loup, repérage GPS, déplacements, Canis lupus, recherche de nourriture, caribou, Territoires du Nord-Ouest Traduit pour la revue Arctic par Nésida Loyer.
Minimizing and understanding the causes of capture‐related injury should be a goal of every project that catches animals. We investigated the influence of age, weight, and sex on the field‐assessed foot injury of 96 wolves (Canis lupus) captured in rubber‐padded foothold traps. We then compared our results with those of 6 other types of wolf traps as reported in the literature. Injury from rubber‐padded traps was lower than that of other traps, and age, weight, or sex did not influence foot damage. Rubber‐padded foothold traps appear to be humane, and managers should consider their use for live capture of wolves.
Events during the denning period (parturition to first autumn) often determine the reproductive success of wolves (Canis lupus). Consequently, there is concern about the potential adverse effects of human‐caused disturbance at wolf den and rendezvous sites (homesites), but relatively little information on this subject is available. We conducted standardized experimental disturbance treatments at 12 unique wolf homesites in the Northwest Territories, Canada, during summers 2002 and 2003. The treatment consisted of an intruder approaching a homesite once per day for 3 consecutive days and recording behavioral responses, response distance, and response intensity of wolves. We counted pups and estimated their ages prior to the initial treatment at each site. Adult wolves moved pups at 3 of 6 treated homesites in each year. The amount and type of known human activity within a pack's home range did not influence whether adults moved pups in response to the treatment. The response intensity of wolves to the treatment was inversely related to the amount of human activity near a homesite. There was no relationship between the distance at which wolves responded to the intruder and the amount or type of human activity. There was a positive relationship between increasing age of pups and their relocation in response to the treatment. Reproductive success was not influenced by the treatment or by the amount and type of human activity. Treated sites were used by wolves the following year in the same proportion as untreated sites. It appears that pups are most vulnerable early in the year when less mobile; therefore, managers should consider age of pups before human activity at or near wolf homesites occurs.
Evaluations of wildlife translocation can be traditional assessments of survival and reproductive success or can be expanded to include valuable but seldom used measures of behavior and physiology in reference to baseline data from a resident population. In Alberta, Canada where grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) are listed as a threatened species, there has been research on resident grizzly bear populations but limited follow‐up of translocated individuals associated with management actions. We determined an outcome for 110 grizzly bear translocation events (77 failed events, 33 successful events) between 1974 and 2014. We used logistic regression to investigate the effects of individual bear characteristics, management strategies, and habitat factors on translocation success. A translocation event was successful if the bear did not require further management action and if the bear survived at least one year without homing. We also compared the home range size, habitat selection, and denning behavior of translocated bears to the resident population over time to assess the long‐term effects of translocation. The odds of translocation success were higher if bears were moved early in the year and decreased by 47% for each unit increase in the level of mortality risk (based on road density, water, and edge features) at the release site. The odds of homing decreased substantially at translocation distances >100 km, but bears translocated outside the Bear Management Area (BMA) of capture had annual home ranges that were 3.25 times larger on average than resident bears. Translocated bears were initially selecting high quality habitat similar to areas used by resident bears, but this behavior appeared to decline after the first year of translocation. Den entry dates, den exit dates, and the denning period of translocated bears did not differ significantly from resident bears. Our findings can aid managers in making more informed decisions when considering translocation as a tool for managing human–bear conflict or supporting grizzly bear conservation efforts. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.
Resource selection studies are commonly used to assess the landscape features that animals select or avoid in their environment. Selection for certain landscape features and landcover types may vary by sex and reproductive status of an individual, and habitat selection studies should incorporate these factors. Cougars Puma concolor are a wide-ranging species that live in a diversity of habitats with varying levels of human disturbance. Geographic positioning satellite telemetry collars were deployed on 55 males, single females and females with kittens. We used a two-stage resource selection function to assess the seasonal habitat characteristics used by adult cougars in west-central, Alberta, Canada, near the northern extent of the species range, from 2016 to 2018. A latent selection diference function was used to compare diferences in habitat selction between groups. All groups selected for similar habitat types including edge habitat, close proximity to water, sloped terrain, forested habitat and avoided roads. During the summer, close proximity to water and wetland land cover were among the most selected features for all groups. Forest and edge habitats also were important for single females and males. During the winter, forested habitat was one of the most important covariates for all groups along with close proximity to water, edge habitat and slope for single females and males. Selection for slope and avoidance of open agricultural land were among the most important for females with kittens. Our results provide insights into those landscape variables that are important for cougars at the northern extent of their geographical range.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.