The History, Status and Management of Muskoxen on Banks Island
Historical and archaeological records suggest that muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) were once abundant on Banks Island. They declined around the turn of the 20th century and remained at very low population levels until the 1970s. The causes of the scarcity of muskoxen are unknown, but severe freezing rai...
Published in: | ARCTIC |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
The Arctic Institute of North America
1991
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/64592 |
id |
ftunivcalgaryojs:oai:journalhosting.ucalgary.ca:article/64592 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftunivcalgaryojs:oai:journalhosting.ucalgary.ca:article/64592 2023-05-15T14:19:12+02:00 The History, Status and Management of Muskoxen on Banks Island Gunn, Anne Shank, Chris McLean, Bruce 1991-01-01 application/pdf https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/64592 eng eng The Arctic Institute of North America https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/64592/48506 https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/64592 ARCTIC; Vol. 44 No. 3 (1991): September: 177–265; 188-195 1923-1245 0004-0843 Animal diseases Animal distribution Animal ecology Animal food Animal population Animal reproduction Biological productivity Caribou Employment Fishing Hunting Industries Inuit Muskoxen Nematoda Parasites Subsistence Trapping Wildlife management Banks Island N.W.T info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion research-article 1991 ftunivcalgaryojs 2022-03-22T21:21:48Z Historical and archaeological records suggest that muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) were once abundant on Banks Island. They declined around the turn of the 20th century and remained at very low population levels until the 1970s. The causes of the scarcity of muskoxen are unknown, but severe freezing rains and subsequent forage unavailability likely played a role. Aerial surveys documented an increase in the estimated population size from 3800 in 1972 to 34,225 in 1989. The rapid increase in muskox numbers has been a source of concern to the local users, who view the muskoxen as detrimental to the caribou (Rangifer tarandus pearyi), which have declined in number. Since the mid-1980s, productivity of 3-year-old muskox cows and calf survival have decreased and the prevalence of parasites has increased. Our data do not allow us to distinguish between whether those changes are density-dependent population responses or the effects of the severity of winter weather. Current management focuses on monitoring the trend of population size, the condition and reproduction of the muskoxen.Key words: muskoxen, Ovibos moschatus, Banks Island, numbers, harvest, weather, population regulation Mots clés: boeuf musqué, Ovibos moschatus, île de Banks, nombres, récolte, temps, contrôe de la population Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Banks Island caribou inuit muskox ovibos moschatus Rangifer tarandus University of Calgary Journal Hosting ARCTIC 44 3 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Calgary Journal Hosting |
op_collection_id |
ftunivcalgaryojs |
language |
English |
topic |
Animal diseases Animal distribution Animal ecology Animal food Animal population Animal reproduction Biological productivity Caribou Employment Fishing Hunting Industries Inuit Muskoxen Nematoda Parasites Subsistence Trapping Wildlife management Banks Island N.W.T |
spellingShingle |
Animal diseases Animal distribution Animal ecology Animal food Animal population Animal reproduction Biological productivity Caribou Employment Fishing Hunting Industries Inuit Muskoxen Nematoda Parasites Subsistence Trapping Wildlife management Banks Island N.W.T Gunn, Anne Shank, Chris McLean, Bruce The History, Status and Management of Muskoxen on Banks Island |
topic_facet |
Animal diseases Animal distribution Animal ecology Animal food Animal population Animal reproduction Biological productivity Caribou Employment Fishing Hunting Industries Inuit Muskoxen Nematoda Parasites Subsistence Trapping Wildlife management Banks Island N.W.T |
description |
Historical and archaeological records suggest that muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) were once abundant on Banks Island. They declined around the turn of the 20th century and remained at very low population levels until the 1970s. The causes of the scarcity of muskoxen are unknown, but severe freezing rains and subsequent forage unavailability likely played a role. Aerial surveys documented an increase in the estimated population size from 3800 in 1972 to 34,225 in 1989. The rapid increase in muskox numbers has been a source of concern to the local users, who view the muskoxen as detrimental to the caribou (Rangifer tarandus pearyi), which have declined in number. Since the mid-1980s, productivity of 3-year-old muskox cows and calf survival have decreased and the prevalence of parasites has increased. Our data do not allow us to distinguish between whether those changes are density-dependent population responses or the effects of the severity of winter weather. Current management focuses on monitoring the trend of population size, the condition and reproduction of the muskoxen.Key words: muskoxen, Ovibos moschatus, Banks Island, numbers, harvest, weather, population regulation Mots clés: boeuf musqué, Ovibos moschatus, île de Banks, nombres, récolte, temps, contrôe de la population |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Gunn, Anne Shank, Chris McLean, Bruce |
author_facet |
Gunn, Anne Shank, Chris McLean, Bruce |
author_sort |
Gunn, Anne |
title |
The History, Status and Management of Muskoxen on Banks Island |
title_short |
The History, Status and Management of Muskoxen on Banks Island |
title_full |
The History, Status and Management of Muskoxen on Banks Island |
title_fullStr |
The History, Status and Management of Muskoxen on Banks Island |
title_full_unstemmed |
The History, Status and Management of Muskoxen on Banks Island |
title_sort |
history, status and management of muskoxen on banks island |
publisher |
The Arctic Institute of North America |
publishDate |
1991 |
url |
https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/64592 |
genre |
Arctic Banks Island caribou inuit muskox ovibos moschatus Rangifer tarandus |
genre_facet |
Arctic Banks Island caribou inuit muskox ovibos moschatus Rangifer tarandus |
op_source |
ARCTIC; Vol. 44 No. 3 (1991): September: 177–265; 188-195 1923-1245 0004-0843 |
op_relation |
https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/64592/48506 https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/64592 |
container_title |
ARCTIC |
container_volume |
44 |
container_issue |
3 |
_version_ |
1766290804062552064 |