Download or read book October 2020 Fall Composition Surveys of Bathurst and Bluenose East Barren ground Caribou Herds written by Jan Adamczewski and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For the Bluenose-East herd, the survey resulted in an estimated ratio of 51.7 calves: 100 cows (95% CI 47.2-55.7). Of the 32 collared females and 18 collared males in the Bluenose-East herd at the time of the surveys, 29 females and 17 males (92% of total collars) were in the vicinity of caribou groups surveyed. This suggested that a large proportion of the herd was in areas surveyed and the sample was representative of the herd. The October bull:cow ratio was 63.3 bulls: 100 cows (95% CI 50.0-79.0). Overall, the calf:cow ratios in both herds in October were similar to the ratios found in July, suggesting that relatively little calf mortality occurred over this period. Ratios of 39 and 51 calves:100 cows indicate good recruitment in both herds for 2020. The bull:cow ratios were somewhat higher than has been recorded recently in the two herds, and may suggest that male survival rates have improved. Collar-based cow survival rates in both herds have improved in recent years. If these positive indicators continue, population trend may improve in the Bathurst and Bluenose-East herds. In addition to the survey results, this report includes three appendices: (1) a group by group listing of caribou composition survey results, (2) a summary of some unusual fall 2020 movements of Bathurst and Beverly caribou and a brief review of how newly placed cow and bull collars have been assigned to herd, and (3) an analysis of bull fidelity to herd in the Bathurst, Bluenose-East and Beverly herds.

Download or read book October 2021 Fall Composition Survey of the Bathurst and Bluenose East Barren ground Caribou Herds written by Jan Adamczewski and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report describes the results of a fall composition survey of the Bluenose-East barren-ground caribou herd conducted in October 2021. The main purpose of this survey was to estimate the sex ratio in the herd during the breeding season, and to estimate the proportion of females in the herd that were accompanied by a calf, as an index of calf mortality in the first four and a half months of age. We also attempted to carry out a fall composition survey of the Bathurst herd, but were unsuccessful because the herd was mixed with a portion of the much larger Beverly herd.

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 March 2020 Late Winter Composition Surveys of Bathurst Bluenose East and Beverly 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: This report describes the results of late-winter composition surveys of the Bathurst, Bluenose-East and Beverly barren-ground caribou herds conducted in March 2020. The main purpose of these surveys was to estimate the proportion of females in the herd that were still accompanied by a calf, which is an index of calf survival through the first nine to ten months of life. Flying was carried out on March 8, 9, 10, 12 and 13, 2020 with a total of 33.5 hours flown. The survey crew of Judy Williams, Jan Adamczewski and pilot Tom Frith flew in an A-Star helicopter operated by Great Slave Helicopters Inc. In general, weather was good during the survey with mostly blue skies and good light conditions. The survey was focused on flying to locations of female and male collared Bathurst, Bluenose-East and Beverly caribou, and classifying caribou (cows, calves, young bulls and prime bulls) nearby. Caribou were classified using motion-stabilized binoculars from the helicopter.

Download or read book Fall 2022 Composition Surveys of Bathurst Bluenose East and Beverly Barren ground Caribou Herds written by Jan Adamczewski and published by . This book was released on 2024 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Overview Monitoring of Bathurst and Bluenose East Caribou Herds October 2014 written by Jan Adamczewski and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For the Bluenose-East herd, a combination of low natural survival, reduced calf recruitment, low pregnancy rates in some years, and a substantial cow harvest are the most probable reasons for the herd's substantial decline 2010-2013 and the continued and potentially accelerated decline to June 2014. Issues related to the reconnaissance survey methods may have affected the survey results but are unlikely to account for the large apparent decrease in caribou on the calving grounds. Assessment of movements of collared caribou between the Bluenose-East's calving grounds and its neighbouring herds' calving grounds showed no evidence of large-scale emigration from the Bluenose-East range 2010-2014.

Download or read book Technical Report on the Cape Bathurst Bluenose West and Bluenose East Barren ground Caribou Herds written by Tracy M. Davison and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 81 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book An Estimate of Breeding Females and Analyses of Demographics for the Bluenose East Herd of Barren ground Caribou written by John Boulanger and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 83 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This report details the calving ground photo survey of the Bluenose-East caribou herd conducted during June of 2015 in Nunavut (NU), near Kugluktuk, NU. The main objective was to obtain an estimate of breeding females that could be compared to estimates from previous calving ground surveys in 2010 and 2013. Consistent with previous calving ground photographic surveys, data from collared caribou and systematic reconnaissance survey flight lines flown at 10 km intervals on the calving grounds were used to delineate the core calving area, 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. Based on collar movements and observed proportions of calves, it was determined that the peak of calving would occur soon after June 5th and the photo plane survey was flown on June 5th. Photo plane survey effort (transect spacing) was allocated into a single high density block (stratum) where the majority of breeding females resided. Three other strata which had lower densities of breeding caribou were also surveyed visually on June 5th. A double observer method was used to estimate and correct for sightability of caribou from visual surveys. Survey conditions were favorable on June 5th with high ceilings and low snow cover. The estimate of 1+ year old caribou on the core calving ground was 38,041 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) =33,569-42,513) caribou. Using the results of the ground composition survey to adjust this number for breeding females, the estimate of breeding females was 17,396 (CI=15,088-19,704). The estimate of breeding females was very precise with a coefficient of variation of 6.3%. The pregnancy rate of females, as indexed by the proportion of adult females classified as breeding was lower in 2015 than the previous survey in 2013. For this reason, an alternative estimator that used an estimate of total adult females (breeders and non- breeders; 27,246 (CI=24,172-30,320) divided by the proportion females in the herd (from fall composition surveys) was used to estimate herd size. The resulting estimate of herd size was 38,592 (CI=33,859-43,325). Comparison of 2013 and 2015 adult female numbers indicate an annual rate of decline of 20% (CI=7-32%). Assessment of survey issues suggested that this difference could not be attributed to differences in surveys or bias. Assessment of movement of collared females between the Bluenose-East and surrounding herds from 2010-2015 documented minimal movement of collared cows to neighbouring herds. Demographic modeling that used composition, collared caribou, and survey data estimated that cow survival rate was low (0.71, CI=0.69-0.72) and calf recruitment has declined. These factors along with harvest pressure have led to the ongoing decline of the herd. We suggest that continued monitoring and proactive management of harvest with a shift from mostly cows to mostly bulls is recommended. In addition, continued monitoring of calving ground distribution and spring productivity should be conducted to allow ongoing monitoring of herd status"--Pages iii-iv .

Download or read book Seasonal Ranges of the Cape Bathurst Bluenose West and Bluenose East Barren ground Caribou Herds written by J. A. Nagy and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 43 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 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report describes the results of a calving ground photo survey of the Bathurst barren-ground caribou herd conducted June 1-14, 2021 west and east of Bathurst Inlet in Nunavut. The main objectives were to estimate the numbers of breeding females, adult females, and adults in the herd, and to compare results to previous calving ground surveys of this herd, the last in 2018. A calving ground survey of the Bluenose-East caribou herd was carried out simultaneously and results from that survey are reported separately.

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 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 Population Estimates of Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula Cape Bathurst and Bluenose West Barren ground Caribou Herds Using Post calving Photography July 2018 written by Tracy M. Davison and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A post-calving photographic survey was conducted in 2018 to obtain population estimates for the Tuktoyaktuk peninsula, Cape Bathurst, and Bluenose-West barren-ground caribou herds in the Northwest Territories. A total of 103 collars were deployed on the three herds in March and April 2018 in anticipation of the survey. Photos of the main aggregations of the Bluenose-West herd were taken on July 10, 2018 with additional peripheral groups photographed or counted between July 8-18, 2018. There were 61 collars available for the Bluenose-West herd and 55 of them were counted. The minimum count was 13,390 adult caribou and the population estimate was 21,011±4,602 (with +95% confidence intervals). There is a non-significant population trend for this herd between 2005 and 2018 of -2% per year.

Download or read book From Impacts to Adaptation written by and published by Canadian Museum of Civilization/Musee Canadien Des Civilisations. This book was released on 2008 with total page 448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discusses current and future risks and opportunities that climate change presents to Canada, with a focus on human and managed systems. Based on analysis of existing knowledge.

Download or read book Arctic Ecosystems in a Changing Climate written by F. Stuart Chapin III and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2012-12-02 with total page 490 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The arctic region is predicted to experience the earliest and most pronounced global warming response to human-induced climatic change. This book synthesizes information on the physiological ecology of arctic plants, discusses how physiological processes influence ecosystem processes, and explores how climate warming will affect arctic plants, plant communities, and ecosystem processes. - Reviews the physiological ecology of arctic plants - Explores biotic controls over community and ecosystems processes - Provides physiological bases for predicting how the Arctic will respond to global climate change

Download or read book Terrestrial Mammals of Nunavut written by Ingrid Anand-Wheeler and published by Field Guides of Nunavut. This book was released on 2014-09 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explore the fascinating world of Nunavut's diverse terrestrial mammal populations in this richly visual, informative book. Through beautiful photographs and a broad range of information, readers will learn about the appearances, ranges, and behaviours of eastern Arctic non-marine mammals. With detailed information on more than thirty species, this book provides an in-depth look at Arctic terrestrial mammals. Far from a barren land of ice and snow, this book will introduce readers to the vibrant natural life of Nunavut through its distinct mammalogy.