Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Radiotelemetry Studies of Moose in Northeastern Minnesota

1971; Wiley; Volume: 35; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2307/3799872

1937-2817

Victor Van Ballenberghe, James M. Peek,

Fire effects on ecosystems

Six moose (Alces alces) were radio-tracked to obtain data on movements and habitat use in northeastern Minnesota. Winter home ranges consisted of a series of high-use areas connected by wanderings of 0.25 to 3 miles. Qne cow occupied a 6-acre area dominated by dense balsam fir (Abies balsamea) during a 25-day period of rapid accumulation of snow. Two females, one with calf, occupied areas of 1.8 and 3.7 square miles, respectively, during the summer, with over 75 percent of the locations in less than 1 square mile for each. The winter and summer home ranges of one cow were adjacent. Summer habitats were primarily swampy areas dominated by black spruce (Picea mariana) and upland areas dominated by white birch (Betula papyrifera) or aspen (Populus tremuloides). An adult male, tracked during early September 1968, traveled at least 12 miles in a 10-day period and was seen three times the following summer in the same general area. The advantages of using radiotelemetry to obtain locations of animals that are not readily observable either because of their habitat preferences or behavior have long been recognized (Le Munyan et al. 1959). Movement data for moose in eastern North America exemplify the difficulties of using marking and recovery or visual location to determine movements in densely forested habitats. From observations of unmarked but individually recognizable moose in Ontario, de Vos (1956) concluded that summer movements were limited. Goddard ( 1970 ) reported that 71 observations of 318 marked moose over an 8-year period in Ontario indicated relatively small winter and summer home ranges, with movements between the two extending over several miles. This study involved six radio-frequency marked moose from which 198 locations were obtained. Field work was conducted primarily from May through September 1968, January through March 1969, and July through September 1969, in central Lake County, Minnesota. We acknowledge the assistance of Dr. R. J. Scientific Journal Series Paper No. 7333, \<linnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Minnesota, St. Paul. Mackie during the study and in preparation of the manuscript; the U. S. Forest Service, Superior National Forest and North Central Forest Experiment Station for cooperation and provision of field facilities; and the Minnesota Conservation Department for providing authorization to capture and mark moose.