36 



FISH AND WILDLIFE TECHNICAL REPORT 30 



20 



Kilometers 



Fig. 31. Home ranges of three brown bears in the western Brooks 

 Range, Alaska, as estimated by a modified minimum area 

 method (Harvey and Harbour 1965). Data courtesy of H. 

 Reynolds, Alaska Department of Fish and Game. 



is characterized by steep topography and habitat types 

 may change within relatively short linear distances. 



Although each collar was deployed on an adult female at 

 about the same time, the quantity of data from the two col- 

 lars varied sharply. From 16 July until the end of Septem- 

 ber, the first PTT provided 61 locations. This bear moved 

 from her initial capture site to another drainage, then back 

 again. The timing of these movements as indicated by the 

 satellite data was verified by conventional radio-tracking. 

 Thus, satellite telemetry seemed to successfully indicate 

 the timing of movements among salmon streams. 



The second PTT provided only 32 locations from its de- 

 ployment on 1 8 July until the end of September. This bear 

 also moved from her area of capture, but location frequen- 

 cy dropped dramatically in August. Because of poor 

 weather for flying, her exact location during this time 

 could not be verified. However, biologists might interpret 

 the small number (2) of locations south of Karluk Lake 

 (Fig. 32) as an unimportant foray, when in fact, these 2 

 locations represented roughly the same amount of time (or 



possibly even more) as the 2 1 previous locations and the 

 subsequent 9 added together. Most positions during fre- 

 quent relocations were in broad valleys or in open areas 

 near Karluk Lake and its outlet. The two positions south of 

 the lake suggested this bear may have been spending time 

 in precipitous terrain with a resulting loss in number of 

 locations. This would imply that the number of relocations 

 of bears in different habitat types on Kodiak Island is not 

 an accurate reflection of the relative amount of time spent 

 in each. 



Dall Sheep: Brooks Range 



Objectives of a Dall sheep study in Alaska's Brooks 

 Range conducted by M. Hansen of the University of Alas- 

 ka included determining the accuracy of satellite locations 

 for animals inhabiting mountainous terrain and deter- 

 mining seasonal movements and home range of an adult 

 male Dall sheep. A PTT was placed on a adult ram in 

 October 1986, and care was taken to secure the collar very 

 tightly to prevent hampering the animal's movements or 

 chafing its neck. Detailed observations were made for 

 several weeks after attachment to determine whether the 

 collar adversely affected the animal's behavior or health. 

 Data were received from the PTT until it was removed 

 from the animal in October 1987. Movements and home 

 range were analyzed by selecting only one location each 

 day of transmission. Additional information on activity 

 and migration was provided by the 24-h activity index. 



The instrumented ram did not seem to be adversely 

 affected by carrying the PTT and acted in a manner similar 

 to other rams carrying conventional VHP transmitters. 

 The ram participated fully in the rut and was one of two 

 large individuals that were dominant in all social encoun- 

 ters observed. He remained with a group of rams through 

 the remainder of the year and was consistently a dominant 

 individual. Although no data were available on his previ- 

 ous movement patterns, he followed what was generally 

 believed to be the predominant movement pattern for 

 sheep in the area of the Brooks Range (Fig. 33) and was 

 consistently found in areas occupied by other rams. When 

 the PTT was removed after one year, some sliding of the 

 collar along the neck was noted, with resultant matting and 

 abrasion of hair along the dorsal surface. However, these 

 affects appeared to be no different from those resulting 

 from lighter VHP transmitters. However, the importance 

 of fitting collars on rams tightly to avoid damage during 

 the rut was reemphasized with this heavier package. 



The 24-h activity index seemed to be generally corre- 

 lated with periods of foraging and migration, although not 

 unambiguously so. Distinct peaks in the index during late 

 November and late June up to nine times the levels seen 



