Woodland caribou population decline in Alberta: fact or fiction?
We re-assessed the view of a major woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) population decline in Alberta. Several historical publications and provincial documents refer to this drastic decline as the major premise for the designation of Alberta's woodland caribou an endangered species. In...
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Language: | English |
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Septentrio Academic Publishing
1996
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Online Access: | https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/1246 https://doi.org/10.7557/2.16.4.1246 |
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ftunitroemsoe:oai:ojs.henry.ub.uit.no:article/1246 2023-05-15T15:50:24+02:00 Woodland caribou population decline in Alberta: fact or fiction? Bradshaw, Corey J.A. Hebert, Daryll M. 1996-01-01 application/pdf https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/1246 https://doi.org/10.7557/2.16.4.1246 eng eng Septentrio Academic Publishing https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/1246/1185 https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/1246 doi:10.7557/2.16.4.1246 Copyright (c) 2015 Corey J.A. Bradshaw, Daryll M. Hebert http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ CC-BY Rangifer; Vol 16 (1996): Special Issue No. 9; 223-233 1890-6729 history surveys population trend hunting predation habitat loss pathology woodland caribou Alberta population info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 1996 ftunitroemsoe https://doi.org/10.7557/2.16.4.1246 2021-08-16T14:54:19Z We re-assessed the view of a major woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) population decline in Alberta. Several historical publications and provincial documents refer to this drastic decline as the major premise for the designation of Alberta's woodland caribou an endangered species. In the past, wildlife management and inventory techniques were speculative and limited by a lack of technology, access and funding. The accepted trend of the decline is based on many speculations, opinions and misinterpretation of data and is unsubstantiated. Many aerial surveys failed to reduce variance and did not estimate sightability. Most surveys have underestimated numbers and contributed unreliable data to support a decline. Through forest fire protection and the presence of extensive wetlands, the majority of potential caribou habitat still exists. Recreational and aboriginal subsistence hunting does not appear to have contributed greatly to mortality, although data are insufficient for reliable conclusions. Wolf (Canis lupus), population fluctuations are inconclusive and do not provide adequate information on which to base prey population trends. The incidence of documented infection by parasites in Alberta is low and likely unimportant as a cause of the proposed decline. Article in Journal/Newspaper Canis lupus Rangifer Rangifer tarandus University of Tromsø: Septentrio Academic Publishing Rangifer 16 4 223 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Tromsø: Septentrio Academic Publishing |
op_collection_id |
ftunitroemsoe |
language |
English |
topic |
history surveys population trend hunting predation habitat loss pathology woodland caribou Alberta population |
spellingShingle |
history surveys population trend hunting predation habitat loss pathology woodland caribou Alberta population Bradshaw, Corey J.A. Hebert, Daryll M. Woodland caribou population decline in Alberta: fact or fiction? |
topic_facet |
history surveys population trend hunting predation habitat loss pathology woodland caribou Alberta population |
description |
We re-assessed the view of a major woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) population decline in Alberta. Several historical publications and provincial documents refer to this drastic decline as the major premise for the designation of Alberta's woodland caribou an endangered species. In the past, wildlife management and inventory techniques were speculative and limited by a lack of technology, access and funding. The accepted trend of the decline is based on many speculations, opinions and misinterpretation of data and is unsubstantiated. Many aerial surveys failed to reduce variance and did not estimate sightability. Most surveys have underestimated numbers and contributed unreliable data to support a decline. Through forest fire protection and the presence of extensive wetlands, the majority of potential caribou habitat still exists. Recreational and aboriginal subsistence hunting does not appear to have contributed greatly to mortality, although data are insufficient for reliable conclusions. Wolf (Canis lupus), population fluctuations are inconclusive and do not provide adequate information on which to base prey population trends. The incidence of documented infection by parasites in Alberta is low and likely unimportant as a cause of the proposed decline. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Bradshaw, Corey J.A. Hebert, Daryll M. |
author_facet |
Bradshaw, Corey J.A. Hebert, Daryll M. |
author_sort |
Bradshaw, Corey J.A. |
title |
Woodland caribou population decline in Alberta: fact or fiction? |
title_short |
Woodland caribou population decline in Alberta: fact or fiction? |
title_full |
Woodland caribou population decline in Alberta: fact or fiction? |
title_fullStr |
Woodland caribou population decline in Alberta: fact or fiction? |
title_full_unstemmed |
Woodland caribou population decline in Alberta: fact or fiction? |
title_sort |
woodland caribou population decline in alberta: fact or fiction? |
publisher |
Septentrio Academic Publishing |
publishDate |
1996 |
url |
https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/1246 https://doi.org/10.7557/2.16.4.1246 |
genre |
Canis lupus Rangifer Rangifer tarandus |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus Rangifer Rangifer tarandus |
op_source |
Rangifer; Vol 16 (1996): Special Issue No. 9; 223-233 1890-6729 |
op_relation |
https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/1246/1185 https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/rangifer/article/view/1246 doi:10.7557/2.16.4.1246 |
op_rights |
Copyright (c) 2015 Corey J.A. Bradshaw, Daryll M. Hebert http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.7557/2.16.4.1246 |
container_title |
Rangifer |
container_volume |
16 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
223 |
_version_ |
1766385353299591168 |