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RESPONDENT
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Gustav Samelius
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SITE NAME
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Karrak Lake, Queen Maud Gulf Bird Sanctuary, Nunavut, Canada
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| Contact
details (phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| 306-975-5509/306-975-4089 // Gustaf.Samelius@EC.GC.CA; dana.kellett@ec.gc.ca // Canadian Wildlife Service, 115 Perimeter Road, Saskatoon SK, S7N 0X4, Canada |
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PROJECT DETAILS
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Start of survey:
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End
of survey:
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Team
size:
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WEATHER CONDITIONS
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| Date of ice-break
on rivers: |
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| Date of final loss
of snow: |
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BIOTIC CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
average |
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Breeding conditions:
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Fox abundance appeared to vary among years with 1.0, 2.3, 1.5, and 1.8 foxes per 30 km travelled in 2000 to 2003, respectively. Fox abundance appeared to be higher in goose-nesting areas than in areas outside the influence of nesting geese; we saw 0.5, 0.5, 0.5, and 2.0 foxes per 30 km travelled in non-goose areas in each year, respectively, compared to 1.5, 4.0, 2.5, and 1.5 foxes per 30 km travelled in goose-nesting areas in each year, respectively. The density of breeding dens varied among years and was 1.5, 0.75, 0, and 1 breeding den/25 square-kilometres in 2000 to 2003, respectively.
Despite the heavy winter snow cover, the melt was rapid and nesting of Snow Geese began early. The area used by nesting Ross and Lesser Snow Geese has been increasing exponentially. In 2003 the area of terrestrial habitat occupied by nesting geese at Karrak Lake increased from 165 km2 to 177 km2. Similarly, at the East McNaughton colony of light
geese, about 90 km east of Karrak Lake, the area of terrestrial habitat occupied by nesting geese increased from 151 km2 to 173 km2. |
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Rodent dynamics:
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| Small mammal abundance was average with 1.8 captures/100 trap-nights. Most captures were Red-backed Voles even though we captured some Collared Lemmings as well. Brown Lemmings have been low in all years and we did not capture any Brown Lemmings in 2003.
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Rodent species recorded:
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
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