Forest Co-op Caribou Habitat & Population Project
Key uncertainties facing the resource managers and the forest industry in attempting to meet the requirements of Ontario Caribou Conservation Plan are: (i) which ecological factors are most vital to woodland caribou and (ii) how these ecological factors are influenced by the mix of habitat types that occur across large boreal landscapes. This project is designed to measure the impact of key ecological variables (e.g. food availability, distance from roads, energetic cost, predator density, competitor density, predation risk) on movement patterns, survival and offspring recruitment of over 100 woodland caribou equipped with GPS radio-collars in 3 large landscapes that have been exposed to varying degrees of forest management activity (Pickle Lake, Auden, and Cochrane). Demographic rates will be related back to the mix of habitats experienced by each of the animals over the course of the year. This information will be used to develop computer models to assess population viability in relation to alternative forest and wildlife management practices.
In 2010, over 60 caribou were equipped with GPS radio-collars since the project began at the beginning of the year, as well as 25 wolves. Over 40 forest stands were intensively sampled during the summer to estimate variation in vegetation abundance. Over 30 wolf kills identified from radiolocation data clusters were visited to determine the habitat features associated with kill success. Some preliminary analysis of movement characteristics of both wolves and caribou has been initiated, as well as preliminary evaluation of the magnitude of energetic expenditures, as assessed from accelerometers incorporated into the radio-collars.