Elk Calf Survival and Mortality Following Wolf Restoration to Yellowstone National Park
We conducted a 3-year study (May 2003–Apr 2006) of mortality of northern Yellowstone elk (Cervus elaphus) calves to determine the cause for the recruitment decline (i.e., 33 calves to 13 calves/100 adult F) following the restoration of wolves (Canis lupus). We captured, fit with radiotransmitters, a...
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DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln
2008
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ftunivnebraskali:oai:digitalcommons.unl.edu:usgsnpwrc-1099 2023-11-12T04:15:45+01:00 Elk Calf Survival and Mortality Following Wolf Restoration to Yellowstone National Park Barber-Meyer, Shannon M. Mech, L. David White, P. J. 2008-05-01T07:00:00Z application/pdf https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgsnpwrc/96 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usgsnpwrc/article/1099/viewcontent/Mech_WM_2008_Elk_calf_mortality.pdf unknown DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgsnpwrc/96 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usgsnpwrc/article/1099/viewcontent/Mech_WM_2008_Elk_calf_mortality.pdf USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Other International and Area Studies text 2008 ftunivnebraskali 2023-10-30T10:34:51Z We conducted a 3-year study (May 2003–Apr 2006) of mortality of northern Yellowstone elk (Cervus elaphus) calves to determine the cause for the recruitment decline (i.e., 33 calves to 13 calves/100 adult F) following the restoration of wolves (Canis lupus). We captured, fit with radiotransmitters, and evaluated blood characteristics and disease antibody seroprevalence in 151 calves ≤6 days old (68M:83F). Concentrations (x, SE) of potential condition indicators were as follows: thyroxine (T4; 13.8 μg/dL, 0.43), serum urea nitrogen (SUN; 17.4 mg/dL, 0.57), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT; 66.4 IU/L, 4.36), gamma globulins (GG; 1.5 g/dL, 0.07), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1; 253.6 ng/mL, 9.59). Seroprevalences were as follows: brucellosis (Brucella abortus; 3%), bovine-respiratory syncytial virus (3%), bovine-viral-diarrhea virus type 1 (25%), infectious-bovine rhinotracheitis (58%), and bovine parainfluenza-3 (32%). Serum urea nitrogen, GGT, GG, and IGF-1 varied with year; T4, SUN, and GG varied with age (P ≤ 0.01); and SUN varied by capture area (P=0.02). Annual survival was 0.22 (SE=0.035, n=149) and varied by calving area but not year. Neonates captured in the Stephens Creek/Mammoth area of Yellowstone National Park, USA, had annual survival rates >3x higher (0.54) than those captured in the Lamar Valley area (0.17), likely due to the higher predator density in Lamar Valley. Summer survival (20 weeks after radiotagging) was 0.29 (SE=0.05, n=116), and calving area, absolute deviation from median birth date, and GG were important predictors of summer survival. Survival during winter (Nov–Apr) was 0.90 (SE=0.05, n=42), and it did not vary by calving area or year. Sixty-nine percent (n=104) of calves died within the first year of life, 24% (n=36) survived their first year, and 7% (n=11) had unknown fates. Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) and black bears (Ursus americanus) accounted for 58–60% (n = 60–62) of deaths, and wolves accounted for 14–17% (n = 15–18). Summer predation (95% of summer deaths) increased, ... Text Canis lupus Ursus arctos University of Nebraska-Lincoln: DigitalCommons@UNL Stephens Creek ENVELOPE(-128.537,-128.537,55.750,55.750) |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Nebraska-Lincoln: DigitalCommons@UNL |
op_collection_id |
ftunivnebraskali |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Other International and Area Studies |
spellingShingle |
Other International and Area Studies Barber-Meyer, Shannon M. Mech, L. David White, P. J. Elk Calf Survival and Mortality Following Wolf Restoration to Yellowstone National Park |
topic_facet |
Other International and Area Studies |
description |
We conducted a 3-year study (May 2003–Apr 2006) of mortality of northern Yellowstone elk (Cervus elaphus) calves to determine the cause for the recruitment decline (i.e., 33 calves to 13 calves/100 adult F) following the restoration of wolves (Canis lupus). We captured, fit with radiotransmitters, and evaluated blood characteristics and disease antibody seroprevalence in 151 calves ≤6 days old (68M:83F). Concentrations (x, SE) of potential condition indicators were as follows: thyroxine (T4; 13.8 μg/dL, 0.43), serum urea nitrogen (SUN; 17.4 mg/dL, 0.57), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT; 66.4 IU/L, 4.36), gamma globulins (GG; 1.5 g/dL, 0.07), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1; 253.6 ng/mL, 9.59). Seroprevalences were as follows: brucellosis (Brucella abortus; 3%), bovine-respiratory syncytial virus (3%), bovine-viral-diarrhea virus type 1 (25%), infectious-bovine rhinotracheitis (58%), and bovine parainfluenza-3 (32%). Serum urea nitrogen, GGT, GG, and IGF-1 varied with year; T4, SUN, and GG varied with age (P ≤ 0.01); and SUN varied by capture area (P=0.02). Annual survival was 0.22 (SE=0.035, n=149) and varied by calving area but not year. Neonates captured in the Stephens Creek/Mammoth area of Yellowstone National Park, USA, had annual survival rates >3x higher (0.54) than those captured in the Lamar Valley area (0.17), likely due to the higher predator density in Lamar Valley. Summer survival (20 weeks after radiotagging) was 0.29 (SE=0.05, n=116), and calving area, absolute deviation from median birth date, and GG were important predictors of summer survival. Survival during winter (Nov–Apr) was 0.90 (SE=0.05, n=42), and it did not vary by calving area or year. Sixty-nine percent (n=104) of calves died within the first year of life, 24% (n=36) survived their first year, and 7% (n=11) had unknown fates. Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) and black bears (Ursus americanus) accounted for 58–60% (n = 60–62) of deaths, and wolves accounted for 14–17% (n = 15–18). Summer predation (95% of summer deaths) increased, ... |
format |
Text |
author |
Barber-Meyer, Shannon M. Mech, L. David White, P. J. |
author_facet |
Barber-Meyer, Shannon M. Mech, L. David White, P. J. |
author_sort |
Barber-Meyer, Shannon M. |
title |
Elk Calf Survival and Mortality Following Wolf Restoration to Yellowstone National Park |
title_short |
Elk Calf Survival and Mortality Following Wolf Restoration to Yellowstone National Park |
title_full |
Elk Calf Survival and Mortality Following Wolf Restoration to Yellowstone National Park |
title_fullStr |
Elk Calf Survival and Mortality Following Wolf Restoration to Yellowstone National Park |
title_full_unstemmed |
Elk Calf Survival and Mortality Following Wolf Restoration to Yellowstone National Park |
title_sort |
elk calf survival and mortality following wolf restoration to yellowstone national park |
publisher |
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgsnpwrc/96 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usgsnpwrc/article/1099/viewcontent/Mech_WM_2008_Elk_calf_mortality.pdf |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-128.537,-128.537,55.750,55.750) |
geographic |
Stephens Creek |
geographic_facet |
Stephens Creek |
genre |
Canis lupus Ursus arctos |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus Ursus arctos |
op_source |
USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center |
op_relation |
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgsnpwrc/96 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usgsnpwrc/article/1099/viewcontent/Mech_WM_2008_Elk_calf_mortality.pdf |
_version_ |
1782333027001565184 |