Download or read book An Operations Guide to Barren ground Caribou Calving Ground Density Dispersion and Distribution Surveys Based on an Assessment of the June 2007 and 2008 Surveys Northwest Territories and Nunavut written by Kim Gordon Poole and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 93 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Optimal Survey Design Survey Intervals and Analysis Strategies for Caribou Calving Ground Surveys Reconnaissance Surveys and Composition Surveys written by John Boulanger and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report provides statistical commentary on survey methods used to monitor barren-ground caribou herds in the Northwest Territories (NWT) with an emphasis on intervals between surveys and survey precision. I provide some comments on the statistical design of surveys and some ideas to improve precision. Calving ground photo surveys and post-calving photo surveys are the most important surveys for barren-ground caribou as they provide benchmarks for herd status and management. Results of power analyses suggest that the sampling interval for these surveys should never be less than three years unless a very large change in abundance is expected. For the most likely rates of change in population size (+/- 10% per year) then a survey interval of five to six years is adequate. Composition surveys in June, fall (rut, usually late October), and late winter (March/April) are used to assess initial calf productivity, calf survival to four to five months, calf survival to nine to ten months, and sex ratio (in the fall). Representative sampling across a herd’s range is key to obtaining reliable results. Late-winter surveys are best carried out annually to capture frequently high year-to-year variation. Fall surveys to assess sex ratio are usually carried out in years of calving ground photo surveys (every three years in most NWT herds 2006-2018) and may be conducted more often if a substantial male-dominated harvest is in place. Reconnaissance surveys on the calving grounds of some herds have been used to assess trend in caribou abundance on calving grounds in years between full photographic surveys. They are much simpler and far less costly. However, variance on survey results is usually high and assessment of composition (breeding cows, non-breeding cows, yearlings and bulls) on or near the calving grounds may not be reliable. I provide recommendations to improve precision of these surveys. I note that the primary analyses in this report occurred in 2011 and since then some of the methodologies have evolved. I provide updated citations to this current work.

Download or read book An Estimate of Breeding Females and Analyses of Demographics for the Bathurst Herd of Barren ground Caribou written by John Boulanger and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "We conducted a calving ground photo survey of the Bathurst barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) herd from 3-8 June, 2012. The main objective was to obtain an estimate of breeding females that could be compared to estimates from previous similar surveys that have been conducted since 1986. Of particular interest was whether or not the herd had stabilized from the steep decline documented in the 2009 survey. Consistent with previous calving ground photographic survey methods, data from collared caribou and systematic reconnaissance surveys at ten km intervals in the calving ground area were used to delineate the core calving areas, to assess calving status, to allocate sampling to geographic strata of similar caribou density, and to time the photographic survey plane to coincide with the peak of calving. Unlike previous surveys, transect surveys were conducted at 5 km instead of 10 km intervals in the core calving area. Reconnaissance surveys revealed that the majority of breeding caribou were congregated in a relatively-small (914 km2) area with non-breeding caribou distributed in lower densities to the south. Based on collar movements and observed proportions of calves, it was determined that the peak of calving occurred on or about 5 June, 2012 and the photo plane survey was conducted on 6 June. Photo plane survey effort (transect spacing) was stratified into high- and medium-density blocks with the highest coverage (79.1%) in the high-density stratum where the majority of breeding caribou were. The higher level of coverage allowed an adequate number of lines (22) to be placed in the stratum as a means of offsetting potential variance caused by clumped distribution of caribou. Survey conditions were ideal with zero cloud cover, minimal winds and minimal snow cover. Two lower-density strata were also surveyed with visual strip-transect methods. Ground-based composition surveys were conducted from 6-8 June to estimate the proportion of breeding caribou in each of the strata. Survey results revealed that 87.4% of caribou on the core calving ground were within the high-density stratum (914 km2) with 8% occurring in the medium density stratum (644 km2) and the rest in the two low-density strata. The estimate of 1+-yr-old caribou on the core calving ground was 24,166 (SE=1,853.6, Cl=20,310-28,020) caribou. Using the results of the ground composition survey to adjust this number for breeding females, the estimate of breeding females was 15,935 (SE=1,407.2, Cl=13,009-18,861). The estimate of breeding females was very precise with a coefficient of variation (CV) of 8.8%. Comparison of this estimate with the previous estimate of breeding females from 2009 of 16,649 (SE=2, 181, 95% Cl=12, 188-21,110) suggests that the breeding female segment of the herd declined slightly, though not significantly. The rate of decline was much lower than between the 2006 and 2009 calving ground surveys. Results from a data-driven demographic modelling exercise suggest that adult female survival rate was 0.78 (Cl range 0.75-0.82) in 2012, which is still below levels needed for a stable herd. A conservative bull-dominated harvest strategy with minimal cow harvest is recommended to minimize adult cow mortality. An increase in the number of radio collars on the herd would greatly assist in managing and monitoring this herd, including more reliable estimates of adult female survival rate"--Pages iii-iv.

Download or read book Barren Ground Caribou Calving Ground Workshop written by Donald Edmund Russell and published by . This book was released on 2002-01-01 with total page 39 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Precalving Distribution and Abundance of Barren ground Caribou on the Northeastern Mainland of the Northwest Territories written by Douglas C. Heard and published by . This book was released on 1987 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Report of a study conducted to determine numbers and precalving distribution of barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) in northeastern Keewatin District, N.W.T. Three regions were found to coincide with calving grounds of previously defined herds, the Melville, Wager and Lorillard.

Download or read book An Estimate of Breeding Females in the Bathurst Herd of Barren ground Caribou June 2003 written by Anne Gunn (Wildlife manager) and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 75 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Barren ground caribou management in the Northwest Territories written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Barren-ground Caribou Management in the Northwest Territories: An Independent Peer Review Alberta Research Council Management Response Environment and Natural Resources May 2009 AlbertA reseArch council independent peer review Management Response and Action Plan Objective of Independent Peer Review Peer Review Conclusion The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources The peer review of the exis [...] Until more 1. Assess whether ENR's application of herd-based consistent and more comprehensive methods for population management is scientifically valid, multi-herd surveying and demographic research and comparable to management employed by are employed, managing on the basis of a decline other North American jurisdictions responsible is warranted based on the existing data and the for caribou man [...] MAnAgeMent response - environMent And nAturAl resources 1 AlbertA reseArch council independent peer review Summary of Findings and Recommendations Management Response The main findings of the peer review were: The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources accepts the findings of the independent peer 1. Defining caribou herds by calving ground review and recommendations of the report. [...] Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) However, numbers of collared caribou should is pleased to note the conclusion, with limited be increased for demographic estimates for exceptions, verifies the approach ENR has used Bluenose herds and for range determination for to collect and interpret information is sound. [...] ENR recognizes that both 3. The existing scientific evidence better support a traditional knowledge and scientific knowledge are decline in the Bathurst, Cape Bathurst, Bluenose- used to develop management recommendations East and Bluenose-West barren-ground caribou and this independent peer review was restricted to herds than alternative explanations, such as mass improving scientific information.

Download or read book Sample Sizes of Collared Barren ground Caribou Required to Estimate Herd Size in Winter and Fall Management Areas to Allow Assessment of Harvest Risk written by John Boulanger and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 20 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One challenge to harvest management of caribou herds on winter range areas is the uncertainty of caribou herd status when winter ranges of multiple herds overlap. In this paper I develop a methodology to estimate relative herd sizes on winter range management polygons through the use of location data from collared caribou and herd size estimates from calving ground surveys. In this paper, analyses were carried out to assist in recommending numbers of collars needed to reliably define proportions of each herd in harvest areas in fall and winter, using multi-strata models, existing management areas, and information from 2010-2013 on collar locations and herd size. In general, at least 20 collars would be needed for each herd in each area to define herd distribution and harvest risk with acceptable precision.

Download or read book Barren ground Caribou Distribution in Late Winter 2004 Central NWT written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The area from Great Slave Lake to the Mackenzie delta and east to the Coronation Gulf area of Nunavut is the wintering range for several barren-ground caribou herds including the Cape Bathurst, Bluenose-West, Bluenose-East and Bathurst herds. Between February and April 2004 we surveyed this area in order to map the distribution of wintering caribou, as some communities had reported the absence of caribou from some of their typical wintering areas. We used fixed winged aircraft flown along predetermined transect lines to map the caribou distribution in survey areas. We found that caribou were widely distributed across the western NWT in late winter 2004 and that the highest concentration of caribou was found southwest of Great Bear Lake. Lower numbers of caribou were on the Arctic coast northeast of Tuktoyaktuk and a band of caribou was spotted extending southeast from Inuvik to northeast of Colville Lake. There were also caribou along the east side of Great Bear Lake to east of the Coppermine River. The Bluenose-West herd normally winters from the southern Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula and Husky Lakes area to Paulatuk and south to Great Bear Lake. However, in winter 2003-2004, most caribou appeared to winter in the area of Great Bear Lake, possibly in response to freezing rain along the coast and deeper snow than usual in the Inuvik Region. As expected, there was also some overlap found between the herds in the use of winter ranges.

Download or read book Barren ground Caribou of the Northwest Territories 3d Ed written by Northwest Territories. Department of Renewable Resources. CONSERVATION EDUCATION. and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 5 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book An Estimate of Breeding Females and Analyses of Demographics for the Bathurst Herd of Barren ground Caribou written by John Boulanger and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 91 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Study Design to Measure Distributional Changes of Barren ground Caribou Near a Winter Road written by Northwest Territories. Wildlife Service and published by . This book was released on 1981 with total page 44 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Impact of Gordon Lake winter road, Mackenzie District, on Bathurst herd of Rangifer tarandus.

Download or read book July 2020 Composition Surveys of Bathurst and Bluenose East Barren ground Caribou Herds written by Jan Adamczewski and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Composition surveys near the peak of calving were planned as part of calving photo surveys of these two herds in June 2020, but were postponed to 2021 due to travel restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the proportion of breeding females at the peak of calving in June 2020 was not known. If the proportion of breeding females in June 2020 was about 81% (average for June 2018 and 2019 for the two herds), then the July calf-cow ratios we recorded may suggest substantial calf mortality in the first five weeks after birth in both herds.

Download or read book A General Approach to Harvest Modeling for Barren ground Caribou Herds in the NWT and Recommendations on Harvest Based on Herd Risk Status written by John Boulanger and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Previous modeling of barren-ground caribou demographics and harvest for the Bathurst and Bluenose-East herds was carried out under a limited range of demographic scenarios to evaluate the likely consequences of varying levels and sex ratio of harvest. The modeling in this report was carried out to assess risk associated with harvest in a wider range of conditions, to generate more general results that could be applicable to multiple herds varying in size and trend. A deterministic model was used with a caribou herd of 100,000 with low, moderate and high calf productivity and low, moderate and high levels of adult survival. Harvest levels modeled ranged from 0-8,000, and sex ratio of the harvest varied from 0-100% cows. Time-steps of three and six years were used to match the frequency of recent Government of the Northwest Territories population surveys of most caribou herds. With low adult survival, herd trend is likely to be negative and a substantial harvest would increase the risk of greater decline. Herds with high survival and high calf productivity can tolerate substantial harvest levels. Power to detect declines within three years was limited to larger scale (>31%) declines in herd size. Bull-cow ratios were sensitive to male and female harvest levels with increases in bull-cow ratios when female harvest was higher. Case studies of the Bathurst and Bluenose-East herds using the most recent demographic information suggest that harvest should be very conservative, given herd size, trend and relatively low cow survival in these herds. Recommended harvest should be re-assessed frequently because a herd's productivity and survival rates can change quickly. Results of the harvest modeling were used to develop approaches to recommending harvest level and sex ratio based on herd risk status, including a simple rule of thumb approach.

Download or read book Barren ground Caribou Management in the Northwest Territories written by Northwest Territories. Department of Environment and Natural Resources and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 7 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Estimates of Breeding Females Adult Herd Size and Analyses of Demographics for the Bathurst Herd of Barren ground Caribou written by Jan Adamczewski and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 126 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We suggest close monitoring of the herd in the next few years, including population surveys every two years, annual monitoring of cow survival, calf productivity and calf survival for this herd, and increased collar numbers for monitoring and management.

Download or read book Satellite Collaring and Calf Survival in the Bathurst Herd of Barren ground Caribou 2003 2005 written by Anne Gunn (Wildlife manager) and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The co-management plan for the Bathurst herd of barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) requires monitoring calf survival, movements and seasonal distribution. To monitor movements and seasonal distribution, Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) tries to maintain between 10 and 20 satellite collars on cows. In March 2003, ten cows were fit with satellite collars that had automatic drop-offs programmed for 15 September 2004. In October 2004, we flew reconnaissance surveys before capturing and fitting ten barren-ground caribou with satellite collars. In March 2005 we aimed to collar a further ten Bathurst cows and ten cows from the Ahiak herd. After fixed-wing reconnaissance flights to cover the possible winter ranges of the Bathurst and neighbouring herds (Bluenose-East, Bluenose-West, Cape Bathurst and Ahiak), we spread the capture and collaring of ten caribou from the Lac Grandin area southeast to Gordon Lake. We also caught and collared five cows at Nonacho Lake and five east of Artillery Lake. Based on the distribution of the collared cows in June 2005, we assigned the satellite collared cows to different herds based on their return to traditional calving grounds. From the distribution of collared cows, in June 2005, the distribution of the Bathurst and Bluenose-East herds overlapped in the area of Lac Grandin north to Great Bear Lake. Also Ahiak herd and Bathurst herd overlapped their winter ranges at Nonacho Lake. Measured calf-cow ratios were low (mean was 14 calves:100 cows) which is consistent with the poor calf survival during summer 2004. Extrapolated summer temperatures and wind were used to develop an index of insect harassment severity. Information from hunter harvest samples revealed that pregnancy rates were low to moderate across the winter range in March 2005. If the lower than average pregnancy rate and low calf survival persist, the Bathurst herd is unlikely to reverse its current decline in abundance.