Inventory of the Queen Charlotte Islands Ermine Donald G. Reid Fish and Wildlife Branch, Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks P.O. Box 5000, Smithers, BC, V0J 2N0, Canada
[email protected] Louise Waterhouse Peter E. F. Buck Research Section, Ministry of Forests Systems Forestry Consulting, 2100 Labieux Road, Nanaimo, BC, V9T 6E9, Canada P.O. Box 442, Masset, BC, V0T 1M0, Canada Andrew E. Derocher Rolf Bettner Colin D. French Norwegian Polar Institute P.O. Box 495 P.O. Box 812 Storgt. 25, Boks 399, 9001 Tromso, Norway Queen Charlotte City, BC, V0T 1S0, Canada Queen Charlotte City, BC, V0T 1S0, Canada ABSTRACT A subspecies of ermine (Mustela erminea haidarum) is one of the few endemic terrestrial mammals on the Queen Charlotte Islands (QCI). This subspecies is on the British Columbia Red List, and is classified as Vulnerable by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). Its status reflects its rareness on QCI historically, the paucity of mammalian prey species available, and lack of knowledge of its habitat use and population limitations. Competition from an increasing endemic marten (Martes americana) population may be threatening ermine population viability. From 1992 to 1998 we used a variety of inventory techniques, over a range of habitats, to determine QCI ermine distribution and habitat use as follows: live-trapping with Sherman traps (1992 summer; 1993 fall; 1995 spring; 1997 spring); interviews with QCI trappers and residents (1997 and 1998); snow-tracking and track stations (1997 and 1998). Between 275 and 325 interviews produced 162 new records (mainly sightings) to add to 32 previous records.