First record of a least weasel in Nunavik
The spatial distributions of several small mammals in Nunavik, Québec, Canada, currently do not rely on any recorded observations due to the rarity of wildlife surveys in that area. This is concerning because understanding changes in wildlife populations in response to the rapidly warming Arctic req...
Published in: | Arctic Science |
---|---|
Main Author: | |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English French |
Published: |
Canadian Science Publishing
2023
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2022-0029 https://doaj.org/article/87af5516f16740babd9c9eb1d301a011 |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:87af5516f16740babd9c9eb1d301a011 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:87af5516f16740babd9c9eb1d301a011 2023-10-01T03:52:30+02:00 First record of a least weasel in Nunavik Dominique Fauteux 2023-09-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2022-0029 https://doaj.org/article/87af5516f16740babd9c9eb1d301a011 EN FR eng fre Canadian Science Publishing https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/as-2022-0029 https://doaj.org/toc/2368-7460 doi:10.1139/as-2022-0029 2368-7460 https://doaj.org/article/87af5516f16740babd9c9eb1d301a011 Arctic Science, Vol 9, Iss 3, Pp 710-713 (2023) Mustelidae Arctic tundra distribution rare occurrence species at risk Environmental sciences GE1-350 Environmental engineering TA170-171 article 2023 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2022-0029 2023-09-03T00:48:51Z The spatial distributions of several small mammals in Nunavik, Québec, Canada, currently do not rely on any recorded observations due to the rarity of wildlife surveys in that area. This is concerning because understanding changes in wildlife populations in response to the rapidly warming Arctic requires knowledge of prior population states. On 18 July 2021, my assistant and I captured a least weasel (Mustela nivalis Linnaeus, 1766) alive, 11 km southwest of Salluit during a live-trapping session of lemmings and voles. Identification was done with the small body mass (44 g), the presence of prominent testicles indicating maturity, short length of the tail, and pale colour at the tip of the tail. All these criteria combined fit only the description of least weasels. According to the available records for this species, this observation is the first one confirmed in Nunavik. This Low Arctic area was already included in the species distribution described in the literature, but no record supported it up to now. It is of particular importance considering this species is susceptible to be designated as threatened or vulnerable in the province of Quebec according to the Centre de données sur le patrimoine naturel du Québec. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Arctic Least Mustela nivalis Salluit Tundra Nunavik Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Canada Nunavik Salluit ENVELOPE(-75.643,-75.643,62.204,62.204) Arctic Science |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English French |
topic |
Mustelidae Arctic tundra distribution rare occurrence species at risk Environmental sciences GE1-350 Environmental engineering TA170-171 |
spellingShingle |
Mustelidae Arctic tundra distribution rare occurrence species at risk Environmental sciences GE1-350 Environmental engineering TA170-171 Dominique Fauteux First record of a least weasel in Nunavik |
topic_facet |
Mustelidae Arctic tundra distribution rare occurrence species at risk Environmental sciences GE1-350 Environmental engineering TA170-171 |
description |
The spatial distributions of several small mammals in Nunavik, Québec, Canada, currently do not rely on any recorded observations due to the rarity of wildlife surveys in that area. This is concerning because understanding changes in wildlife populations in response to the rapidly warming Arctic requires knowledge of prior population states. On 18 July 2021, my assistant and I captured a least weasel (Mustela nivalis Linnaeus, 1766) alive, 11 km southwest of Salluit during a live-trapping session of lemmings and voles. Identification was done with the small body mass (44 g), the presence of prominent testicles indicating maturity, short length of the tail, and pale colour at the tip of the tail. All these criteria combined fit only the description of least weasels. According to the available records for this species, this observation is the first one confirmed in Nunavik. This Low Arctic area was already included in the species distribution described in the literature, but no record supported it up to now. It is of particular importance considering this species is susceptible to be designated as threatened or vulnerable in the province of Quebec according to the Centre de données sur le patrimoine naturel du Québec. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Dominique Fauteux |
author_facet |
Dominique Fauteux |
author_sort |
Dominique Fauteux |
title |
First record of a least weasel in Nunavik |
title_short |
First record of a least weasel in Nunavik |
title_full |
First record of a least weasel in Nunavik |
title_fullStr |
First record of a least weasel in Nunavik |
title_full_unstemmed |
First record of a least weasel in Nunavik |
title_sort |
first record of a least weasel in nunavik |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2022-0029 https://doaj.org/article/87af5516f16740babd9c9eb1d301a011 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-75.643,-75.643,62.204,62.204) |
geographic |
Arctic Canada Nunavik Salluit |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Canada Nunavik Salluit |
genre |
Arctic Arctic Least Mustela nivalis Salluit Tundra Nunavik |
genre_facet |
Arctic Arctic Least Mustela nivalis Salluit Tundra Nunavik |
op_source |
Arctic Science, Vol 9, Iss 3, Pp 710-713 (2023) |
op_relation |
https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/as-2022-0029 https://doaj.org/toc/2368-7460 doi:10.1139/as-2022-0029 2368-7460 https://doaj.org/article/87af5516f16740babd9c9eb1d301a011 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2022-0029 |
container_title |
Arctic Science |
_version_ |
1778518657497825280 |