Growth, condition, and mortality of caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) in the Sisimiut Population, West Greenland

• Published in: Rangifer
• Main Authors: Vidar Holthe, Poul Lassen
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Septentrio Academic Publishing 1984
• Subjects: Rangifer; Greenland; growth; condition; mortality; mandible; Animal culture; SF1-1100; Synes; Sisimiut; caribou; greenlandic; Rangifer tarandus; rensdyr
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.7557/2.4.1.490; https://doaj.org/article/09d4e40fd6b946bf91a73cb7b7b6f54a

Growth and condition of the Sisimiut caribou was anlysed by means of mandible length, carcass weight, and back fat indices. Mandible lenght showed unchanged growth conditions since the late 1960s, and growth stops at 4 years of age. The Sisimiut caribou seems to be smaller than North American caribous, Greenlandic semi-domesticated reindeer and of same size or smaller than Scandinavian reindeer. Carcass weight showed similar results, however cow growth rate seems not to prolong sexual maturation. Back fat deposits were less than what is known from other reindeer and caribou populations. Sex and age distribution of mandibles from various materials and survival curves based on the same material shows — an uneven distribution between bulls and cows and a relatively large proportion of old cows in the bag from the last years, which seems to be caused by a light hunting pressure when the population peaked in the 1960s. Heavy natural mortality for animals born before or after a winter with unfavorable snow conditions was also showed. Vækst, kondition og dødelighed hos vildren (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) i Sisimiut-bestanden, Vestgrønland. Abstract in Danish / Sammendrag: Vækst- og konditionsforhold for Sisimiut-vildrenbestanden i Vestgrønland er beskrevet ved hjæip af underkæbelængde, slagtevægt og rygfedt. Undersøgelsen af kæbelængde viste, at vækstforholdene havde været uforandret siden sidste halvdel af 1960-erne, at væksten standser ved 4-års alderen, samt at Sisimiut-vildrenen er mindre end de nordamerikanske caribou, Itinnera-tamrenen og på størrelse med eller mindre end skandinaviske rensdyr. Dette viste sig også ved sammenligninger af slagtevægt. Vægten af simlerne er dog ikke så ringe, at der kan iagttages nogen forsinkelse i kønsmodningen. Fedtreserverne ved indgangen til vinteren synes at være dårligere end i andre undersøgte rensdyrbestande. Køns- og aldersfordelingen blandt forskellige typer af indsamlet kæbemateriale og overlevelseskurver baseret på samme materiale viser, at forholdet mellem bukke ...