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Responses of Mountain Goats to Heliskiing Activity: Movements and Resource Selection

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Responses of Mountain Goats to Heliskiing Activity: Movements and Resource Selection RESPONSES OF MOUNTAIN GOATS TO HELISKIING ACTIVITY: MOVEMENTS AND RESOURCE SELECTION by Becky A. Cadsand B.Sc., University of Northern British Columbia, 2005 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OR SCIENCE IN NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (BIOLOGY) UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA September 2012 © Becky A. Cadsand, 2012 Abstract Heliskiing activity has increased in many areas of mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) range; how this activity affects movements and resource use, however, is poorly understood. In 2007 – 2010, I examined locations and movements of 11 GPS-collared female mountain goats relative to activity of GPS-equipped helicopters in northwest British Columbia. Mountain goats exhibited anomalous movements in the 48 h following helicopter approaches within 2 km, regardless of whether helicopters were visible to the animals. Mountain goats were not displaced by the disturbances, however, and seasonal movement rates did not increase with heliskiing exposure. Animals did not avoid areas of helicopter activity, but several animals in areas of high heliskiing activity selected strongly for security terrain. When exposure to helicopter activity is <1h/month, I recommend pre-planning measures be undertaken to ensure 1,500-m separation distances between heliskiing activity and mountain goat range. At higher exposures, separation distances should extend to 2 km. ii Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... ii Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... iii List of Tables .................................................................................................................................... v List of Figures .............................................................................................................................. viii Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1- Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 Background .................................................................................................................................. 1 Objectives ..................................................................................................................................... 4 Organization of Thesis ................................................................................................................. 4 Chapter 2- Effect of Heliskiing Activity on Movement Behaviours of Mountain Goats ................ 6 Abstract ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 7 Methods ...................................................................................................................................... 13 Locations of Mountain Goats ................................................................................................. 13 Locations of Heliskiing Activity ............................................................................................ 16 Relating Heliskiing to Locations of Mountain Goats ............................................................. 16 Seasonal Movements and Ranges .......................................................................................... 19 Movement Analyses: Quantifying Animal Response ............................................................ 21 Factors Influencing the Animal Responses of Mountain Goats to Helicopters ..................... 26 Results ........................................................................................................................................ 30 Locations of Mountain Goats and Heliskiing Activity .......................................................... 30 Mountain Goat-Helicopter Interactions ................................................................................. 30 Seasonal Movements and Range Sizes .................................................................................. 32 Movement Responses of Mountain Goats to Heliskiing Activity .......................................... 32 Factors Influencing Movement Responses ............................................................................ 39 Discussion .................................................................................................................................. 42 Seasonal Differences in Movement Behaviour ...................................................................... 42 Medium-term Use Areas Following Heliskiing Exposure ..................................................... 47 Anomalous Movement Behaviour Relative to Heliskiing Exposure ..................................... 49 Management Implications .......................................................................................................... 53 Chapter 3- Effect of Heliskiing on Resource Selection by Mountain Goats ................................. 57 Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 57 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 58 Study area ................................................................................................................................... 61 Methods ...................................................................................................................................... 63 Locations of Mountain Goats ................................................................................................. 63 Heliskiing Activity ................................................................................................................. 65 Relating Heliskiing Activity to Use of Land Cover and Terrain by Mountain Goats ........... 67 Resource Selection ................................................................................................................. 71 iii Results ........................................................................................................................................ 76 Range-Use Patterns of Mountain Goats ................................................................................. 79 Seasonal Selection Patterns .................................................................................................... 83 Discussion .................................................................................................................................. 91 Influence of Helicopter Activity on Use of Escape Terrain ................................................... 91 Resource Selection Strategies in Relation to Heliskiing Activity .......................................... 93 Management Implications ........................................................................................................ 100 Chapter 4: Management Recommendations ................................................................................ 103 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 103 Management Conclusions ........................................................................................................ 107 Literature Cited ............................................................................................................................ 115 Appendix A: Recommendations defined in the B.C. Wildlife Guidelines that pertain to management of aerial-based commercial recreation and tourism activity within mountain goat range. .................................................................................................................................... 125 Appendix B: Capture summary of mountain goats collared in the Northern Skeena Mountains (2007-2010) including the status of collar data, total GPS fix rate, and fix rate by season. ..................................................................................................................................... 127 Appendix C: Monthly movement rates (m/h, x ± SE) of female mountain goats in the Northern Skeena Mountains study area and average snowdepth estimates during the same time period. ......................................................................................................................... 129 Appendix D: Hourly movement rates of female mountain goat number 700 inhabiting the Northern Skeena Mountains study area during the month of January 2010. ......................... 130 Appendix E: Comparison of seasonal movement rates (m/h, x ± SE) of individual female mountain goats during early winter and heliskiing seasons. ........................................................ 131 Appendix F: Cases wherein land-cover classes were missing (zero-cell counts) in either the used or available response variable in seasonal resource selection models for female mountain goats during early winter and heliskiing seasons. .......................................................
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