Caribou calf deaths from intraspecific strife — a debatable diagnosis
led to the deaths of several newborn barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) calves within a short period of time and on a small area. This event took place during calving in June 1958 on the calving ground of the Beverly caribou herd in the Northwest Territories. The lack of other e...
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Language: | English |
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Septentrio Academic Publishing
1986
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.7557/2.6.2.647 https://doaj.org/article/9d22f0d413c9401d815873b1ec6f1a0a |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:9d22f0d413c9401d815873b1ec6f1a0a 2023-05-15T15:50:24+02:00 Caribou calf deaths from intraspecific strife — a debatable diagnosis Frank L. Miller Anne Gunn 1986-06-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.7557/2.6.2.647 https://doaj.org/article/9d22f0d413c9401d815873b1ec6f1a0a EN eng Septentrio Academic Publishing https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/647 https://doaj.org/toc/1890-6729 doi:10.7557/2.6.2.647 1890-6729 https://doaj.org/article/9d22f0d413c9401d815873b1ec6f1a0a Rangifer, Vol 6, Iss 2 (1986) caribou calf mortality intraspecific strife Northwest Territories Canada Animal culture SF1-1100 article 1986 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.7557/2.6.2.647 2022-12-31T13:48:55Z led to the deaths of several newborn barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) calves within a short period of time and on a small area. This event took place during calving in June 1958 on the calving ground of the Beverly caribou herd in the Northwest Territories. The lack of other examples of multiple deaths of newborn caribou calves from intraspecific strife and our findings on the same calving ground during a study of calf mortality in June 1981, 1982, and 1983 and a study of cow-calf behaviour in June 1981 and 1982 cause us to question the published explanation. As we rarely saw aggressive behaviour among cows and newborn calves that involved actual physical contact and none that resulted in injury or death and because we found instances of multiple killings of calves by wolves {Canis lupus) we suggest that a probable alternative explanation of the 1958 findings is surplus killing by wolves. Most importantly, only direct observation of an event allows separation of a death caused by injuries due to intraspecific strife from a death caused by accidental injuries. Article in Journal/Newspaper Canis lupus caribou Northwest Territories Rangifer Rangifer tarandus Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Northwest Territories Canada Rangifer 6 2 203 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
caribou calf mortality intraspecific strife Northwest Territories Canada Animal culture SF1-1100 |
spellingShingle |
caribou calf mortality intraspecific strife Northwest Territories Canada Animal culture SF1-1100 Frank L. Miller Anne Gunn Caribou calf deaths from intraspecific strife — a debatable diagnosis |
topic_facet |
caribou calf mortality intraspecific strife Northwest Territories Canada Animal culture SF1-1100 |
description |
led to the deaths of several newborn barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) calves within a short period of time and on a small area. This event took place during calving in June 1958 on the calving ground of the Beverly caribou herd in the Northwest Territories. The lack of other examples of multiple deaths of newborn caribou calves from intraspecific strife and our findings on the same calving ground during a study of calf mortality in June 1981, 1982, and 1983 and a study of cow-calf behaviour in June 1981 and 1982 cause us to question the published explanation. As we rarely saw aggressive behaviour among cows and newborn calves that involved actual physical contact and none that resulted in injury or death and because we found instances of multiple killings of calves by wolves {Canis lupus) we suggest that a probable alternative explanation of the 1958 findings is surplus killing by wolves. Most importantly, only direct observation of an event allows separation of a death caused by injuries due to intraspecific strife from a death caused by accidental injuries. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Frank L. Miller Anne Gunn |
author_facet |
Frank L. Miller Anne Gunn |
author_sort |
Frank L. Miller |
title |
Caribou calf deaths from intraspecific strife — a debatable diagnosis |
title_short |
Caribou calf deaths from intraspecific strife — a debatable diagnosis |
title_full |
Caribou calf deaths from intraspecific strife — a debatable diagnosis |
title_fullStr |
Caribou calf deaths from intraspecific strife — a debatable diagnosis |
title_full_unstemmed |
Caribou calf deaths from intraspecific strife — a debatable diagnosis |
title_sort |
caribou calf deaths from intraspecific strife — a debatable diagnosis |
publisher |
Septentrio Academic Publishing |
publishDate |
1986 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.7557/2.6.2.647 https://doaj.org/article/9d22f0d413c9401d815873b1ec6f1a0a |
geographic |
Northwest Territories Canada |
geographic_facet |
Northwest Territories Canada |
genre |
Canis lupus caribou Northwest Territories Rangifer Rangifer tarandus |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus caribou Northwest Territories Rangifer Rangifer tarandus |
op_source |
Rangifer, Vol 6, Iss 2 (1986) |
op_relation |
https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/647 https://doaj.org/toc/1890-6729 doi:10.7557/2.6.2.647 1890-6729 https://doaj.org/article/9d22f0d413c9401d815873b1ec6f1a0a |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.7557/2.6.2.647 |
container_title |
Rangifer |
container_volume |
6 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
203 |
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1766385353801859072 |