Activity budgets and movement rates of caribou encountering pipelines, roads, and traffic in northern Alaska

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: Murphy, Stephen M., Curatolo, James A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1987
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; caribou; Alaska
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z87-375; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z87-375

Insect harassment significantly affected caribou behavior by decreasing time spent feeding and lying and by increasing locomotion. Effects of oilfield disturbance on behavior were most pronounced when insects were absent, suggesting that disturbance and insects did not have a substantial additive effect on behavior. When insects were absent, caribou within 600 m of an elevated pipeline and road with traffic, and within 300 m of a pipeline and road without traffic, had significantly different activity budgets than undisturbed caribou; disturbance effects were significantly greater in the site with traffic. Time spent lying and running and movement rates were the best indicators of oilfield disturbance, whereas time spent feeding was not affected. Cow–calf-dominated groups and groups larger than 10 animals reacted to lower levels of disturbance than other group types, but all group types reacted similarly to high levels of disturbance. Separation of elevated pipelines from heavily traveled roads is recommended as a means of minimizing disruption of caribou behavior and movements. Energetic stress resulting from disturbance-induced changes in behavior should be minimal in a properly designed oilfield.