Groups versus individuals in the determination of caribou distribution

• Published in: Rangifer
• Main Authors: K. R. Whitten, R. D. Cameron
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Septentrio Academic Publishing 1986
• Subjects: caribou; distribution; groups; habitat selection; sampling; Animal culture; SF1-1100; Rangifer; Rangifer tarandus
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.7557/2.6.2.666; https://doaj.org/article/13fae2ee69bb4ec5857c3a2b298f6d99

Studies of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) habitat selection based on group analyses have led to erroneous conclusions. Convenient designations such as «male-» or «female-dominated» group encompass a wide array of possible sizes and compositions which change continuously and erratically. Whenever individuals of at particular sex/age class can occur in more than one group type, and/or whenever groups within a type vary in size, an analysis based on groups alone is fallacious. Data must be based on individual caribou for most, if not all, determinations of distribution.