Global declines of caribou and reindeer

Vors, Liv S.; Boyce, Mark S.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2486.2009.01974.x

Cited by 397 publications

(356 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…Similar to other woodland caribou populations (Vors & Boyce, 2009), the Charlevoix caribou herd underwent a rapid and continuous decline at the end of the 19 th century. The population size decreased from an estimated 10 000 individuals (Potvin, 1945) in the 19 th century to a complete extirpation in the early 1920s.…”

Section: Causes Of Decline and Extirpationmentioning

confidence: 80%

“…The apparent competition hypothesis (Bergerud & Elliot, 1986;Seip, 1992)-that links changes in forest age and structure following timber harvest and fire to increases in moose and wolf abundance-is now well accepted in the literature as one of the mechanisms involved in the North American caribou decline (James et al, 2004;Wittmer et al, 2005;Vors & Boyce, 2009). This hypothesis stipulates that caribou populations suffer from increased predation risk when wolf populations are maintained at high levels by alternative prey (Wittmer et al, 2007), a precarious situation for endangered populations (DeCesare et al, 2010).…”

Section: Changes In the Predator -Prey Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Throughout North America, woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus) have undergone severe population declines and range recession in the last century (Vors & Boyce, 2009). Numerous local populations have been extirpated, essentially because of overhunting and poaching, but also due to anthropogenic habitat modifications such as forest harvesting and road networks-both of which locally favour large predator populations (Schaefer, 2003;Racey & Arsenault, 2007;Vors et al, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The reintroduction of boreal caribou as a conservation strategy: A long-term assessment at the southern range limit

St‐Laurent

Dussault

2012

Ran

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Boreal caribou were extirpated from the Charlevoix region (Québec) in the 1920s because of hunting and poaching. In 1965, the Québec government initiated a caribou reintroduction program in Charlevoix. During the winters of 1966 and 1967, a total of 48 boreal caribou were captured, translocated by plane, and released within enclosures; only their offspring (82 individuals) were released in the wild. Between 1967 and 1980, a wolf control program was applied to support caribou population growth. The caribou population, however, remained relatively stable at 45-55 individuals during this period. During the 1980s, the population grew slowly at a rate of approximately 5% each year to reach a peak of 126 individuals in 1992. At that time, Bergerud & Mercer (1989) reported that the Charlevoix experiment was the only successful attempt at caribou reintroduction in the presence of predators (in North America). Afterwards, the population declined and since then it has been relatively stable at about 80 individuals. Here we reviewed the literature regarding the ecology and population dynamics of the Charlevoix caribou herd since its reintroduction, in an attempt to critically assess the value of reintroduction as a conservation tool for this species. Indeed, the Charlevoix caribou herd is now considered at very high risk of extinction mostly because of its small size, its isolation from other caribou populations, and low recruitment. The Charlevoix region has been heavily impacted by forestry activities since the early 1980s. Recent studies have indicated that these habitat modifications may have benefited populations of wolves and black bears-two predators of caribou-and that caribou range fidelity may have exposed caribou to higher predation risk via maladaptive habitat selection. As females are ageing, and females and calves suffer high predation pressure from wolves and bears respectively, we suggest that the future of this reintroduced herd is in question and that they are facing a high probability of extinction in the near future if further action is not taken.

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Section: Causes Of Decline and Extirpationmentioning

confidence: 80%

Section: Changes In the Predator -Prey Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The reintroduction of boreal caribou as a conservation strategy: A long-term assessment at the southern range limit

St‐Laurent

Dussault

2012

Ran

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“…Vors & Boyce (2009) found that landscape changes -both anthropogenic and climate-modulated -in uence caribou demography. In turn, recent studies have shown that demographic factors can directly impact body condition.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An enigmatic group of arctic island caribou and the potential implications for conservation of biodiversity

McFarlane

Miller²,

Barry³

et al. 2014

Ran

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We investigated the status of caribou classified as Rangifer tarandus pearyi by DNA analyses, with an emphasis on those large-bodied caribou identified as ultra pearyi that were collected in summer 1958 on Prince of Wales Island, south-central Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Our comparative assessment reveals that the ultra pearyi from Prince of Wales Island belong to a group of pearyi and are not hybrids of pearyi x groenlandicus, as we found for the caribou occurring on nearby Banks Island and northwest Victoria Island. The ultra pearyi from Prince of Wales Island cluster with high arctic pearyi and are separated genetically from the caribou populations that we sampled on the low Canadian Arctic Islands and the Canadian mainland. Our findings reveal biodiversity below the level of subspecies or regional designations. These results support the position that to retain the biodiversity present among caribou populations on the Canadian Arctic Islands, conservation efforts should be targeted at the smaller scale level of the geographic population, rather than on a wider regional or subspecific range-wide basis.

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“…While the forest-dwelling woodland caribou ecotype has been listed as Threatened in Canada both federally and provincially, the forest-tundra ecotype is not listed under any species-at-risk legislation in Canada. However, with increasing concern about globally synchronous declines in many caribou and reindeer herds (Vors & Boyce, 2009) closer examination of any changes in caribou populations is warranted.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent changes in summer distribution and numbers of migratory caribou on the southern Hudson Bay coast

Abraham

Pond

Tully³

et al. 2012

Ran

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The status of migratory woodland caribou inhabiting the coastal region in southern Hudson Bay is dynamic. The Pen Islands Herd within that region was defined in the 1990s, but opportunistic observations between 1999 and 2007 suggested that its status had significantly changed since the late 1980s and early 1990s. We undertook systematic surveys from the Hayes River, MB, to the Lakitusaki River, ON, in 2008 and to determine current distribution and minimum numbers of woodland caribou on the southern Hudson Bay coast from the Hayes River, Manitoba, to the Lakitusaki River, Ontario. We documented a significant change in summer distribution during the historical peak aggregation period (7-15 July) compared to the 1990s. In 2008 and 2009, respectively, we tallied 3529 and 3304 animals; however, fewer than 180 caribou were observed each year in the Pen Islands Herd's former summer range where over 10 798 caribou were observed during a systematic survey in 1994. Over 80% of caribou were in the Cape Henrietta Maria area of Ontario. Calf proportions in herds varied from 8% of animals in the west to 20% in the east. Our 2008 and 2009 systematic surveys were focused on the immediate coast, but one exploratory flight inland suggested that more caribou may be inland than had been observed in the 1980s-1990s. The causes of change in the numbers and distribution in the coastal Hudson Bay Lowlands and the association of current caribou with the formerly large Pen Islands Herd may be difficult to determine because of gaps in monitoring, but satellite telemetry, genetic sampling, remote sensing, habitat analysis, and aboriginal knowledge are all being used to pursue answers.

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Global declines of caribou and reindeer

Cited by 397 publications

References 60 publications

The reintroduction of boreal caribou as a conservation strategy: A long-term assessment at the southern range limit

The reintroduction of boreal caribou as a conservation strategy: A long-term assessment at the southern range limit

An enigmatic group of arctic island caribou and the potential implications for conservation of biodiversity

Recent changes in summer distribution and numbers of migratory caribou on the southern Hudson Bay coast

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