Lyver P.O'B. and Gunn A. 2004
Calibration of Hunters' Impressions with Female Caribou Body
Condition Indices to Predict Probability of Pregnancy.
Arctic Vol. 57 No. 3
P. 233-341
(PDF = 925 KB)
Abstract
Aboriginal harvests of barren-ground caribou (Rangifer
tarandus) potentially offer a large sample for assessing body
condition. The purpose of this study was to determine the probability that
a certain amount of fat would be at designated anatomical sites when
Dënesółine hunters qualitatively report the condition of an animal.
Hunters’ impressions were used to evaluate the condition of adult female
barren-ground caribou (R. t. groenlandicus) in late winter. A
semi-objective body condition index (BCI) was developed using fat indices
described by biologists as useful for measuring caribou body condition.
Fat deposits from 217 adult female caribou harvested in late winter (41 in
2000 and 176 in 2001) were used to calibrate hunters’ impressions with BCI
estimates. Variation in hunters’ impressions and BCI estimates indicated
that adult female caribou were fatter in 2000 than in 2001. Multinomial
log-linear models indicated that hunters’ impressions were related to each
of the variables that make up BCI. The probability of pregnancy was
significantly related to both BCI and hunters’ impressions in 2000 and in
2001. Both models indicated that fat adult female caribou had a greater
probability of being pregnant than thin cows. Monitoring of barren-ground
caribou body condition provides common ground for northern aboriginal
communities and government biologists to collaboratively manage a wildlife
resource.
The user agrees to the Terms
of Use of the Government of the Northwest Territories
Site last updated
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
