Authors
Jesse Whittington, Mark Hebblewhite, Nicholas J DeCesare, Lalenia Neufeld, Mark Bradley, John Wilmshurst, Marco Musiani
Publication date
2011
Description
1.â Caribou and reindeer Rangifer tarandus are declining across North America and Scandinavia in part from wolf Canis lupusâ mediated apparent competition with more abundant ungulate prey species. While caribou generally persist in areas with low wolf density, wolf packs that overlap caribou ranges could trigger caribou declines. Moreover, anthropogenic linear features such as roads, trails and seismic lines are hypothesized to increase predation risk for caribou, yet few studies have examined the mechanistic effects of linear features or spatial overlap on wolfâ caribou encounter rates and predation risk. 2.â We used (a) timeâ toâ event models of wolfâ caribou encounters estimated from concurrent global positioning system (GPS) radioâ collar data from wolves and caribou and (b) wolf resource selection models of travel locations, to determine the potential influence of wolfâ caribou spatial overlap, linear features, elevation and season on encounter rates. Analyses were based on data from 35 adult female caribou and 37 male and female wolves from 11 wolf packs from Banff and Jasper National Parks, Canada, from 2002 until 2010. 3.â Wolfâ caribou encounter rates increased with high wolfâ caribou overlap, proximity to linear features and lower elevations. Wolves strongly selected low elevations, especially during winter and spring. Selection for linear features as travel routes increased with elevation. 4.â Caribou risk of encounter was highest during the summer and autumn when wolves spent the most time at high elevations. Most wolfâ caused mortalities (nâ =â 12) occurred during spring and summer. 5.â …
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