Abundance and movements of caribou in the oilfield complex near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska

• Published in: Rangifer
• Main Authors: R.D. Cameron, E.A. Lenart, D.J. Reed, K.R. Whitten, W.T. Smith
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Septentrio Academic Publishing 1995
• Subjects: Arctic; disturbance; pipeline; Rangifer tarandus; caribou; oilfield; Animal culture; SF1-1100; Prudhoe Bay; Rangifer; Alaska
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.7557/2.15.1.1150; https://doaj.org/article/4000c639cf414116b09fa125202fa086

We examined the distribution and movements of 141 radiocollared female caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) of the Central Arctic Herd during summer, 1980-1993. Numbers of caribou locations within each of 5 quadrats along the arctic coast were totalled separately for days during which insects were active and inactive, and numbers of east-west and west-east crossings of each quadrat mid-line were determined from sequential observations. Both abundance and lateral movements of radiocollared females in the quadrat encompassing the intensively-developed Prudhoe Bay oilfield complex were significantly lower than in other quadrats (P < 0.001 and P < 0.00001, respectively). Avoidance of, and fewer movements within, the complex by female caribou are ostensibly in response to the dense network of production and support facilities, roads, above-ground pipelines, and the associated vehicular and human activity. Impaired access to this area constitutes a functional loss of habitat.