Low wolverine ( Gulo gulo) density in a national park complex of the Canadian Rocky Mountains
Large carnivores are sensitive to human-caused extirpation due to large home ranges, low population densities, and low reproductive rates. Protected areas help maintain populations by acting as sources, but human-caused mortality, habitat displacement, and edge effects occurring at protected area bo...
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/cjz-2019-0165 2024-09-15T18:10:29+00:00 Low wolverine ( Gulo gulo) density in a national park complex of the Canadian Rocky Mountains Barrueto, M. Sawaya, M.A. Clevenger, A.P. 2020 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2019-0165 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/cjz-2019-0165 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/cjz-2019-0165 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 98, issue 5, page 287-298 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 journal-article 2020 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2019-0165 2024-08-01T04:10:01Z Large carnivores are sensitive to human-caused extirpation due to large home ranges, low population densities, and low reproductive rates. Protected areas help maintain populations by acting as sources, but human-caused mortality, habitat displacement, and edge effects occurring at protected area boundaries may reduce that function. The national parks Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay in the Canadian Rocky Mountains are refugia for large carnivores, including wolverines (Gulo gulo (Linnaeus, 1758)). Despite growing conservation concern, empirical baseline population data for wolverines remain scarce throughout their range, including most of Canada. We hypothesized (i) that in these national parks, wolverine density matched values expected for high-quality habitat, and (ii) that edge effects decreased density towards park boundaries. We conducted systematic non-invasive genetic sampling surveys covering >7000 km 2 (2011 and 2013). Using spatial capture–recapture models, we estimated mean (±SE) female (1.5 ± 0.3 and 1.4 ± 0.3 wolverine/1000 km 2 ), male (1.8 ± 0.4 and 1.5 ± 0.3 wolverine/1000 km 2 ), and combined (3.3 ± 0.5 and 3.0 ± 0.4 wolverine/1000 km 2 ) densities for 2011 and 2013, respectively. These estimates were lower than predictions based on density extrapolation from nearby high-quality habitat, and density decreased towards park boundaries. To benefit the population, we recommend creating buffer zones around parks that protect female habitat and prohibit harvest. Article in Journal/Newspaper Gulo gulo Canadian Science Publishing Canadian Journal of Zoology 98 5 287 298 |
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Open Polar |
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Canadian Science Publishing |
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crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
description |
Large carnivores are sensitive to human-caused extirpation due to large home ranges, low population densities, and low reproductive rates. Protected areas help maintain populations by acting as sources, but human-caused mortality, habitat displacement, and edge effects occurring at protected area boundaries may reduce that function. The national parks Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay in the Canadian Rocky Mountains are refugia for large carnivores, including wolverines (Gulo gulo (Linnaeus, 1758)). Despite growing conservation concern, empirical baseline population data for wolverines remain scarce throughout their range, including most of Canada. We hypothesized (i) that in these national parks, wolverine density matched values expected for high-quality habitat, and (ii) that edge effects decreased density towards park boundaries. We conducted systematic non-invasive genetic sampling surveys covering >7000 km 2 (2011 and 2013). Using spatial capture–recapture models, we estimated mean (±SE) female (1.5 ± 0.3 and 1.4 ± 0.3 wolverine/1000 km 2 ), male (1.8 ± 0.4 and 1.5 ± 0.3 wolverine/1000 km 2 ), and combined (3.3 ± 0.5 and 3.0 ± 0.4 wolverine/1000 km 2 ) densities for 2011 and 2013, respectively. These estimates were lower than predictions based on density extrapolation from nearby high-quality habitat, and density decreased towards park boundaries. To benefit the population, we recommend creating buffer zones around parks that protect female habitat and prohibit harvest. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Barrueto, M. Sawaya, M.A. Clevenger, A.P. |
spellingShingle |
Barrueto, M. Sawaya, M.A. Clevenger, A.P. Low wolverine ( Gulo gulo) density in a national park complex of the Canadian Rocky Mountains |
author_facet |
Barrueto, M. Sawaya, M.A. Clevenger, A.P. |
author_sort |
Barrueto, M. |
title |
Low wolverine ( Gulo gulo) density in a national park complex of the Canadian Rocky Mountains |
title_short |
Low wolverine ( Gulo gulo) density in a national park complex of the Canadian Rocky Mountains |
title_full |
Low wolverine ( Gulo gulo) density in a national park complex of the Canadian Rocky Mountains |
title_fullStr |
Low wolverine ( Gulo gulo) density in a national park complex of the Canadian Rocky Mountains |
title_full_unstemmed |
Low wolverine ( Gulo gulo) density in a national park complex of the Canadian Rocky Mountains |
title_sort |
low wolverine ( gulo gulo) density in a national park complex of the canadian rocky mountains |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2019-0165 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/cjz-2019-0165 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/cjz-2019-0165 |
genre |
Gulo gulo |
genre_facet |
Gulo gulo |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 98, issue 5, page 287-298 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2019-0165 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
98 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
287 |
op_container_end_page |
298 |
_version_ |
1810448083456098304 |