ARCTIC Short-Term Impacts of Low-Level Jet Fighter Training on Caribou in Labrador

• Main Authors: Fred H. Harrington, Alasdair M. =itch
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1990
• Subjects: Arctic; Rangifer tarandus; toundra; Tundra
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.596.8322; http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic44-4-318.pdf

ABSTRACT. The short-term impacts on caribou (Rangifer turandus) of low-level jet fighter training activity at Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay (Labrador) were investigated during the 1986-88 training seasons (April-October). Visual observations of low-level (30 m agl) jet overpasses indi-cated an initial stade response but otherwise brief overt reaction by woodland caribou on late-winter alpine tundra habitat. Between 1986 and 1988, daily effects of jet overflights were monitored on 10 caribou equipped with satellite-tracked radiocollars, which provided daily indices of activity and movement. Half the animals were exposed to jet overflights; the other 5 caribou were avoided during training exercises and therefore served as con-trol animals. In 1988, the control caribou were from a population that had never been overflown. Level of exposure to low-level flying within the exposed population did not significantly affect daily activity levels or distance travelled, although comparison with the unexposed population did suggest potential effects. The results indicate that significant impacts of low-level overflights can be minimized through a program of avoidance. Key words: caribou (Rangifer turandus), low-level flying, jet aimafi, helicopters, disturbance, activity, movements, Labrador &SUMÉ. Durant les mois de la saison d’entraînement (d’avril B octobre), de 1986 & 1988, on a Ctudi6 les retomb6es B court terme sur le caribou (Rangifer tarandus) de l’entraînement B basse altitude des avions de combat B la base des Forces A r m & s canadiennes de Goose Bay au Labrador. Des observations visuelles du vol des avions B rkaction B basse altitude (A 30 m du sol) ont indiqu6 que, vers la fin de l’hiver, dans son habitat de toundra alpine, le caribou des bois avait une rkaction initiale de surprise, nettement perceptible mais qui ne durait pas. Entre 1986 et 1988, on a surveil16 les effets quotidiens du vol des avions sur 10 caribous &pip & de colliers-radios suivis par satellite, qui fournissaient ...