Multi-island Seasonal Home Range Use by Two Peary Caribou, Canadian High Arctic Islands, Nunavut, 1993-94

Abstract

A female and a male Peary caribou (Rangifer tarandus pearyi) were captured on 29 July 1993 on Massey Island, south-central Queen Elizabeth Islands, Nunavut, Canada. Each was fitted with a satellite telemetry neck-collar, released, and tracked by satellite from 1 August 1993 to 31 July 1994. The female caribou used five islands and the male caribou used six islands as seasonal and (collectively) as annual home range. They used five of the six islands (Vanier, Cameron, Alexander, Massey, and Marc) both during the same time periods and at different times. Bathurst Island was used only briefly and only by the male. The male and female occupied the same island at the same time during 54% of the 1993-94 annual cycle. Their seven periods of common occupancy ranged in length from 5 to 88 consecutive days. During the study period, the female moved from one island to another on 11 separate occasions, and the male, on 16 occasions. The female's periods of residence on each island ranged in length from 4 to 95 consecutive days, and the male's from 2 to 169 consecutive days. Their seasonal and annual range-use patterns suggest a degree of flexibility and adaptability to a variable and taxing environment and indicate the important role that relatively small islands play in the ecology of Peary caribou. Key words: multi-island range use, satellite telemetry, Canadian High Arctic Islands, Rangifer tarandus pearyi RÉSUMÉ. Le 29 juillet 1993, on a capturé deux caribous de Peary (Rangifer tarandus pearyi), un mâle et une femelle, dans l'île Massey, au centre-sud des îles de la Reine-Élisabeth situées au Nunavut (Canada). Chaque animal a été équipé d'un collier de télémesure par satellite, puis relâché et suivi par satellite du 1 er août 1993 au 31 juillet 1994. La femelle a occupé cinq îles et le mâle six, les îles prises individuellement représentant leur territoire saisonnier et, collectivement, leur territoire annuel. Les deux caribous ont occupé cinq des six îles (Vanier, Cameron, Alexander, Massey et Marc) durant la même période comme à des moments différents. L'île Bathurst n'a été visitée que brièvement et uniquement par le mâle. Ce dernier et la femelle ont occupé la même île en même temps durant 54 p. cent du cycle annuel de 1993-1994. Leurs sept périodes d'occupation commune allaient de 5 à 88 jours consécutifs. Au cours de la période d'étude, la femelle s'est déplacée d'une île à une autre à onze occasions distinctes, et le mâle à 16. Sur chaque île, les périodes de résidence de la femelle allaient de 4 à 95 jours consécutifs, et celles du mâle de 2 à 169 jours consécutifs. Leurs régimes saisonniers et annuels d'utilisation du territoire suggèrent une certaine souplesse et faculté d'adaptation au sein d'un environnement difficile et changeant, et ils soulignent le rôle majeur que des îles relativement petites peuvent jouer dans l'écologie du caribou de Peary. Mots clés: utilisation d'un territoire pluri-insulaire, télémesure par satellite, îles de l'Extrême-Arctique canadien, Rangifer tarandus pearyi Traduit pour la revu...

Observed and predicted effects of climate change on Arctic caribou and reindeer

“…Peary caribou rely on seasonal movements between High Arctic islands to reduce grazing pressure during periods of high caribou density and to maintain an adequate supply of forage on islands that serve as both summer and winter range (Miller et al 1977). These movements between islands allow individuals to optimize grazing opportunities by selecting the best seasonal ranges during periods of poor environmental conditions and possibly reducing predation risk from wolves (Canis lupus) (Miller 2002). Changes in ice phenology could reduce the connectivity of the Peary caribou interisland range, and thus diminish their ability to use this range flexibly to mitigate the effects of their harsh environment.…”

Prioritization of landscape connectivity for the conservation of Peary caribou

“…While still important, higher‐latitude linkages between the WQEI and EQEI should have less conservation priority because they are more likely to persist over intermediate timescales. By considering area‐corrected centrality scores, our analysis highlights the importance of relatively small islands, including Little Cornwallis, King Christian, Borden, and Brock for landscape connectivity (Miller, ).…”

“…Connections across the Parry Channel, which separates the WQEI from the BV and PSB populations, have high conservation value despite their low centrality scores (Figures 3 and 4 (Miller, 2002).…”

“…Inset map shows study area location within Canada stature (approximately 90 cm at the shoulder), Peary caribou live at low densities and move seasonally between Arctic islands to forage across areas of higher productivity, a behavior that also could reduce pressure on limited forage resources (Miller et al, 1977). Between-island movements also might involve attempts to avoid predators (Miller, 2002) and to move away from areas that have been subject to extreme weather or icing events (Jenkins et al, 2016;NWT Species at Risk Committee, 2012). Although caribou typically dig through snow to access vegetation in a behavior called cratering (Fancy & White, 1985), they are unable to dig through basal layers of ice, which can lead to starvation (Tyler, 2010).…”

Distribution and abundance of muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) and Peary caribou (Rangifer tarandus pearyi) on Graham, Buckingham, and southern Ellesmere islands, March 2015

“…Again the difference may be partially explained by the adaptive sampling protocol used in 2005. Further, it is well known that caribou move between islands in regular seasonal movements or when conditions force them (Miller, 2002;Miller et al, 2005;IQ in Taylor, 2005), and they do move between Graham Island and the Bjorne Peninsula (IQ in Taylor, 2005; Iviq HTA, pers. comm.).…”