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24 July 2021 Determinants of migration trajectory and movement rate in a long-distance terrestrial mammal
Martin Leclerc, Mathieu Leblond, Maël Le Corre, Christian Dussault, Steeve D. Côté
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Abstract

Animal migrations occur in many taxa and are considered an adaptive response to spatial or temporal variations in resources. Human activities can influence the cost-benefit trade-offs of animal migrations, but evaluating the determinants of migration trajectory and movement rate in declining populations facing relatively low levels of human disturbance can provide new and valuable insights on the behavior of wildlife in natural environments. Here, we used an adapted version of path selection functions and quantified the effects of habitat type, topography, and weather, on 313 spring migrations by migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in northern Québec, Canada, from 2011 to 2018. Our results showed that during spring migration, caribou selected tundra and avoided water bodies, forest, and higher elevation. Higher precipitation and deeper snow were linked to lower movement rates. Weather variables had a stronger effect on the migration trajectories and movement rates of females than males. Duration of caribou spring migration (mean of 48 days) and length (mean of 587 km) were similar in males and females, but females started (22 April) and ended (10 June) spring migrations ca. 6 days earlier than males. Caribou spring migration was influenced by habitat type, topography, and weather, but we also observed that caribou migrations were not spatially constrained. Better knowledge on where and when animals move between their winter and summer ranges can help inform management and land planning decisions. Our results could be used to model future migration trajectories and speed of caribou under different climate change scenarios.

Martin Leclerc, Mathieu Leblond, Maël Le Corre, Christian Dussault, and Steeve D. Côté "Determinants of migration trajectory and movement rate in a long-distance terrestrial mammal," Journal of Mammalogy 102(5), 1342-1352, (24 July 2021). https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyab081
Received: 9 November 2020; Accepted: 17 June 2021; Published: 24 July 2021
KEYWORDS
declining population
Eastern migratory caribou
movement
Nunavik
Rangifer tarandus
resource selection
Rivièreaux-Feuilles caribou herd
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