Peary Caribou Locations on Central Ellesmere Island in March 2017 (NGMP ID EC38)

File Identifier: 12910_iso.xml

Metadata Language: eng; CAN

: utf8

Resource Type: Dataset

Responsible Party:

Individual Name: Polar Data Catalogue

Organisation Name: Canadian Cryospheric Information Network

Role: Point Of Contact

Contact Info:

Voice: (519) 888-4567 x32689

Street Address: 200 University Avenue West, University of Waterloo

City: Waterloo

Province/State: Ontario

Postal Code/ZIP: N2L 3G1

Country: Canada

E-Mail Address: pdc@uwaterloo.ca

Metadata Date: 2019-05-01

Metadata Standard Name: North American Profile of ISO 19115:2003

Metadata Standard Version: 2009-01-01

Abstract: We flew a survey of central Ellesmere Island (Fosheim Peninsula, Raanes Peninsula, and Svendsen Peninsula), Nunavut, between March 8th and 20th, 2017 to update the regional abundance estimate for Peary caribou (Rangifer tarandus pearyi) and muskox (Ovibos moschatus). This survey was intended to be the second portion of three consecutive surveys that together would cover the entirety of Ellesmere Island. The southern portion was surveyed in 2015 and the northern portion was planned to be surveyed in 2018, however the survey did not occur due to logistical and financial constraints. Before 2017 the most recent survey of central Ellesmere Island was in May 2006 (which included northern Ellesmere Island). Fixed-width transect aerial surveys are a standard way to monitor ungulate populations and have been used in the High Arctic since 1961. For this survey, we marked distance bins on the wing struts to allow for both distance sampling (Buckland et al. 2001, Thomas et al. 2009) as well as standard fixed-width strip transect sampling methods (Jolly 1969, Caughley 1977, Cochran 1977, Kingsley and Smith 1981). The central Ellesmere survey transects (n = 62) were flown using a fixed-wing de Havilland Twin Otter aircraft parallel to lines of latitude 5 km apart, at 180km/h. Surveys were flown at 400 feet above ground level, set with a radar altimeter. In rugged terrain this was adhered to as closely as crew safety and aircraft capabilities allowed. Surveys were flown only on days that provided good visibility and sufficient daylight due to the latitude and time of year of the survey. The survey crew consisted of a pilot, co-pilot, navigator/recorder, and two observers on each side of the aircraft (four total) to enable a double dependent observer platform. Occasionally, the recorder also functioned as an observer. The double observer platform has been effective on other caribou surveys in Nunavut and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (e.g., Campbell et al. 2012, Anderson 2014). 16 Peary caribou were seen during the survey, of these only nine were used to obtain a population estimate of 32 ±SE 25(95% confidence interval [CI]=8-127, CV=79%). The few observations proved an imprecise estimate. Peary caribou were observed on the north portion of Raanes and Svendsen Peninsula, and one group was seen in the south end of Fosheim Peninsula.

Purpose: The north end of Peary caribou range on northern Ellesmere Island is typified by lack of data from scientific and local sources, since the area is too rugged and remote for harvesters to travel there regularly. Peary caribou have been surveyed infrequently and irregularly on Ellesmere Island since Tener’s 1961 survey extrapolated 200 Peary caribou for the island, but weather prevented a full systematic survey and the estimate was presented as a best guess (Tener 1963). In 1973, Riewe flew a series of surveys to investigate wildlife distribution during a PanArctic Oil seismic program, estimating 65 caribou on the Svendsen Peninsula, 300 caribou on the Raanes Peninsula (Riewe 1973). In 1989, Case and Ellsworth (1991) estimated 31±SE23 Peary caribou on the Svendsen Peninsula. Parks Canada conducted helicopter searches of wildlife in Quttinirpaaq National Park (QUNP) from 1988-2002 and in 2004, but surveys were unsystematic and annual surveys are no longer undertaken. The only survey of the entire island was 2005/2006, with an estimate of 802 caribou (95%CI=531-1207) on central and northern Ellesmere (Campbell 2006).

Language: eng; CAN

Citation:

Contact Info:

Title: Peary Caribou Locations on Central Ellesmere Island in March 2017 (NGMP ID EC38)

Date:

Date: 2019-05-01

Date Type: Publication Date

Individual Name: Fredlund, Matt

Role: Principal Investigator

Individual Name: Campbell, Mitch

Role:

Point Of Contact:

Individual Name: Polar Data Catalogue

Organisation Name: Canadian Cryospheric Information Network

Role: Point Of Contact

Contact Info:

Voice: (519) 888-4567 x32689

Street Address: 200 University Avenue West, University of Waterloo

City: Waterloo

Province/State: Ontario

Postal Code/ZIP: N2L 3G1

Country: Canada

E-Mail Address: pdc@uwaterloo.ca

Online Resource: polardata.ca

Topic Category: Environment and Conservation

Keyword Collection:

Keyword: Abundance

Keyword: Aerial surveys

Keyword: Distribution

Keyword: Ellesmere Island

Keyword: Grise Fiord

Keyword: Nunavut

Keyword: Peary caribou

Keyword: Wildlife management

Associated Thesaurus: Polar Data Catalogue Thesaurus (Canada)

Keyword: Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada - OAFCH ; Fosheim Peninsula, Nunavut, Canada - OAFVQ ; Raanes Peninsula, Nunavut, Canada - OANQJ ; Svendsen Peninsula, Nunavut, Canada - OAPYI

Spatial Extent:

West Bounding Longitude: -92

East Bounding Longitude: -61

North Bounding Latitude: 77

South Bounding Latitude: 61

Legal Constraints:

Access Constraints: Other Restrictions

Use Constraints: Other Restrictions

Other Constraints: Terms of Use of the Polar Data Catalogue: https://www.polardata.ca/pdcinput/public/termsofuse

Distribution Format:

Format Name: Digital file

Format Version: 1.0

Distributor:

Distributor Contact:

Individual Name: Polar Data Catalogue

Organisation Name: Canadian Cryospheric Information Network

Role: Distributor

Contact Info:

Voice: (519) 888-4567 x32689

Street Address: 200 University Avenue West, University of Waterloo

City: Waterloo

Province/State: Ontario

Postal Code/ZIP: N2L 3G1

Country: Canada

E-Mail Address: pdc@uwaterloo.ca