Status of two West Greenland caribou populations in 2006, 1) Ameralik, 2) Qeqertarsuatsiaat. Technical Report No. 67

1
S a us o wo Wes G eenland
ca ibou popula ions in 2006
1) Ame alik,
2) Qeqe a sua siaa
Technical Repo No. 67, 2007
G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces
2
Technical Repo No. 2006
G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces
Ti le: S a us o wo Wes G eenland ca ibou popula ions in 2006,
1) Ame alik, 2) Qeqe a sua siaa .
Au ho s: Ch is ine Cuyle , Michael Rosing, Rink Hein ich, Johannes
Egede & La s Ma hæussen
Funding: G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces
Se ies: Technical Repo No. 67, 2007
Publishe : G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces
Co e pho o: Ch is ine Cuyle , single ca ibou g oup (10 males, 1 cal ) on he
no h side o G æde jo d, 15 Ma ch 2006. (see Pa II, Figu e 141).
ISBN 10: 87-91214-26-2
ISBN 13: 978-87-91214-27-1
ISSN: 1397-3657
Re e ence: Cuyle , C., Rosing, M., Hein ich, R., Egede, J. &
Ma hæussen, L. 2007. S a us o wo Wes G eenland
ca ibou popula ions in 2006, 1) Ame alik, 2)
Qeqe a sua siaa . G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al
Resou ces. Technical Repo No. 67. 143 pp. (Pa I: 1-74;
Pa II: 75-143).
A ailable om: The epo is only a ailable in elec onic o ma . You can
download a PDF- ile o he epo a his homepage
h p://www.na u .gl/publika ione / ekniske appo e
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P.O. Box 570
DK-3900 Nuuk
G eenland
Phone: +299 36 12 00
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3
S a us o wo Wes G eenland
ca ibou popula ions in 2006
1) Ame alik,
2) Qeqe a sua siaa
By
Ch is ine Cuyle 1, Michael Rosing1, Rink Hein ich3, Johannes Egede2, &
La s Ma hæussen4
1G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces, P.O. Box 570, DK–3900 Nuuk, G eenland
2Innannguaq 13-B, DK–3900, Nuuk, G eenland
3Nukalloq 11, B-205, DK–3905, Nuussuaq, G eenland
4H J Rinks ej, Blok 9 – 308, DK–3900, Nuuk, G eenland
Technical Repo No. 67, 2007
G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces
4
Table o Con en s
Summa y............................................................................................ 5
In oduc ion .................................................................................... 15
Me hods ........................................................................................... 19
Resul s.............................................................................................. 24
Discussion ....................................................................................... 28
Acknowledgemen s......................................................................... 40
Li e a u e ci ed ............................................................................... 40
Appendices
1. Local hun e knowledge: Ame alik and Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou popula ions. Page 44.
2. Su ey s a is ical design & Inc easing he accu acy o ae ial coun s o ca ibou in
wes e n G eenland
Page 53.
3. Raw da a: Ae ial su ey 2006 Ame alik ca ibou, Sou h egion, Wes G eenland Page 60.
4. Raw da a: Ae ial su ey 2006 Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou, Sou h egion, Wes
G eenland
Page 63.
5. Recommenda ions o u u e Page 65.
6. Lis o e ms Page 68.
7. Names and loca ions o G eenland ca ibou popula ions & hei co esponding ha -
es egions
Page 70.
8. G eenland ca ibou popula ion es ima es and minimum coun s Page 72.
Pa : II Pho og aphic eco d
8. T ansec condi ions: snow & isibili y
A) Ame alik: Sou h egion, 11-14 Ma ch 2006 Page 75.
B) Qeqe a sua siaa : Sou h egion, 14-15 Ma ch 2006 Page 90.
9. Gene al egional snow co e and sea ice
A) Ame alik: Sou h egion, 11-14 Ma ch 2006 Page 102.
B) Qeqe a sua siaa : Sou h egion, 14-15 Ma ch 2006 Page 115.
10. Ca ibou e osion ails in he Sou h Region - Ame alik Page 124.
11. Rapid d ainage o glacial lake wi h Ice Cap plug- Ame alik Page 131.
12. Ca ibou isibili y, o … he eason why we ly a 15 m al i ude! Page 133.
13. Lichen ma s on sou h sho e o Bjø nesund (Agdlume sa ) Page 140.
5
Summa y
In Ma ch 2006 wo ca ibou popula ions, Ame alik and Qeqe a sua siaa , which a e sou h o
he capi al ci y o Nuuk, we e su eyed by helicop e o abundance and he d s uc u e.
Me hods and analysis epea ed he su eys o 5 yea s ea lie . Combining he es ima es o
bo h popula ions gi es a o al o ca. 15,000 ca ibou wi h a coe icien o a iance o 13%.
Al hough he e a e a ewe animals han 5 yea s ago, ca ibou emain ela i ely plen i ul in
he Sou h egion. Fu he mo e, a po ion o he Ame alik popula ion appea s o be
con inuing i s mo emen /dispe sal sou h in o Qeqe a sua siaa . Inc eased mixing o hese
wo popula ions may be expec ed in u u e.
Rela i ely apid ise and all cycles o abundance in Wes G eenland ca ibou popula ions
ha e been no ed since he 1700s, wi h he pe iods o abundance being in equen and sho -
li ed. This sugges s ha high abundance migh be he g ea es h ea o popula ion s abili y,
p o oking a new decline. Pe haps owing in pa o o e g azed anges and subsequen
possible densi y-dependen o age limi a ion. Pas eco ds indica e ha once an ex eme low
abundance is eached, he be e pa o a cen u y goes by be o e ca ibou again inc ease in
numbe . Today we ha e become accus omed o ela i ely high ca ibou abundance in Wes
G eenland. Howe e , high ca ibou abundance, as expe ienced since he 1990’s, likely canno
be main ained by any managemen scheme wi h ha goal in mind. In addi ion o p o ac ed
decline b ough on by densi y-dependen o age limi a ion, disas ous wea he e en s o
e en ends may be o majo impo ance. One ca as ophic win e wi h deep snows and
se e e haw- eeze icing e en s es ic ing access o o age could be enough o cause ab up
he d collapse.
The Ame alik he d in Wes G eenland has declined in abundance since 2001. Ha es
p essu e was he majo ac o . Sound managemen o conse a ion o a declining
popula ion is ex emely di icul , because hun ing can wo sen a si ua ion whe e popula ion
size is changing unp edic ably in esponse o ca as ophic wea he e en s, as hese may
esul in nea o al mo ali y ac oss age classes. Al hough ca as ophic wea he e en s ha e
no occu ed o da e, we should be ale o hei possibili y. Meanwhile, annual ca ibou
ha es s ha e been la ge since 2000. Because hun e s may be ha es ing he mos
ep oduc i ely aluable indi iduals (i.e., emales and males in p ime ep oduc i e age), he
e ec on he en i e he d could be g ea e han he o al numbe ca ibou killed sugges s, and
pe haps diminish he d su i al/ esilience in he ace o ca as ophic wea he e en s o
nega i e ends. Close moni o ing o popula ion size and he d s uc u e wi h lexible apid
adjus men s o hun ing p essu e can diminish his h ea o ca ibou popula ions, e.g., should
mass die-o s, o e en loss o an en i e cal coho be obse ed. The p esen le el o
knowledge abou ca ibou in Wes G eenland, howe e , may no be su icien ly de ailed o
s ike he igh balance. In gene al ha es p essu e on mos Wes G eenland ca ibou
popula ions emains high because se e al he ds a e s ill a abo e he ecommended a ge
densi y, and his high abundance h ea ens he d s abili y ( h ough o e g azing) ega dless

6
o possible disas ous wea he e en s o ends in u u e. Howe e , owing o he conclusion
ha he dec ease in Ame alik he d size o e he pas 5 yea s was he esul o hun ing, he
p ecau iona y p inciple was applied conse a i ely o he Ame alik popula ion. Ha es
ecommenda ions included a sho ened season leng h (Sep embe ) and cancella ion o he
win e 2007 (Janua y-Feb ua y) comme cial hun , while main aining an open ha es . The
open ha es was assumed pe missible, as ad e se wea he can p e en hun e s om
lea ing own o much o a sho season. Fu he , in he Sou h egion ele a ion changes a e
ex eme and since win e a i es la e and la e each au umn his makes many o he ca ibou
inaccessible. Wa m empe a u es delay he mass mo emen o animals ou o he high
ele a ions un il a leas mid-Sep embe (o la e ) in he Sou h egion. Qeqe a sua siaa
ecei ed he same ecommenda ion, because 1) mixing o he wo popula ions is s ongly
suspec ed as he cause o he obse ed abundance s abili y in he Qeqe a sua siaa
popula ion es ima e, and 2) cu en es ima ed hun ing exceeds he eplacemen yield.
Ame alik he d – Sou h egion
This popula ion, which is a mix o semi-domes ic eindee and indigenous ca ibou, occu s
be ween God håbs jo d and G æde jo d in hun ing a ea 4 o he Sou h egion. Since he las
su ey in 2001, wo majo changes ha e occu ed. The ecommended s ocking densi y o
he Ame alik ca ibou popula ion has been a ained because he popula ion is cu en ly
abou 1/3 he size i was 5 yea s ago (P < 0.01). The change in animal abundance was due o
he success o he pas 5 yea s o ecommended high hun ing p essu e, which aimed a
educing popula ion size and densi y. The a e age hun since 2000 was ca. 2950 ca ibou pe
annum. Fo he pe iod be ween 2001 and 2006, he he d dec eased abou 20% pe yea (λ =
0.79), while he exponen ial a e o inc ease ( ) was - 0.24. I unchanged, a his a e o
dec ease he cu en numbe o Ame alik ca ibou will be hal ed by 2009.
The es ima e o p e-cal ing popula ion size o Ame alik he d o he Sou h egion in Ma ch
2006 is ca. 9,680 ca ibou (6,515 – 13,147; 90% CI, CV=21%). Ca ibou densi y was 1.16 ca ibou
pe km2. Mean g oup size was 5.4 ± 3.06 S.D. The 2006 cal pe cen age and ec ui men we e
be e han in 2001, while he once e en a io o bulls o cows appea s o ha e dec eased.
La e win e cal pe cen age was 24.8%, wi h good annual ec ui men o 59.8 cal es pe 100
cows. The ma u e bull (age > 4 yea ) o cow a io was 55 males pe 100 emales, while o
bulls (age > 1 yea ) he a io was 81 males pe 100 emales. I na u al mo ali y is be ween 8
and 10% hen on a he d his size be ween 500 and 1,300 animals may be expec ed o die
annually o na u al causes.
P esen es ima ed densi ies a e close o he ecommended conse a i e a ge alue o
1.2/km2, which may pe mi sus ainable ca ibou g azing on he ege a ion. In con as 5
yea s ago he densi y was ca. 4 ca ibou/km2. Thus cu en compe i ion be ween indi iduals
o a ailable ood esou ces is likely less. Keep in mind, howe e , ha he Ame alik ange
has been hea ily g azed o abou a decade, and he e o e may no be able o suppo e en
he ecommended a ge densi y o ca ibou. S ill, he ela i ely good 2006 la e-win e cal
7
ec ui men sugges s ha he cu en ca ibou popula ion densi y may allow sus ainable use
o he cu en ege a ion esou ces. This does no , howe e , ule ou he possibili y o
popula ion c ashes should ad e se s ochas ic e en s occu (e.g. icing, ex eme snow dep hs,
e c.). The e o e accu a e p edic ions abou u u e he d ends a e impossible. To unde s and
app oaching de elopmen s he ca ibou and hei ange mus be s udied wi hin he wide
con ex o global wa ming and associa ed clima e change.
Qeqe a sua siaa he d – Sou h egion
This popula ion o indigenous ca ibou occu s be ween G æde jo d and F ede ikshåb Isblink
in hun ing a ea 5 o he Sou h egion. The 2006 size and densi y o he Qeqe a sua siaa
popula ion a e s able since he 2001 su ey (P > 0.5). Fo he pe iod be ween 2001 and 2006,
he he d dec ease was only abou 1% pe yea (λ = 0.99), while he exponen ial a e o
inc ease ( ) was - 0.006. A ace alue, hese numbe s would sugges no change. Howe e , in
con as o he s able abundance es ima e, he a io o adul males o emales is now
disp opo ionally weigh ed owa ds males, he a e age g oup size has inc eased and cal
ec ui men is ½ ha o 5 yea s ago. Fu he , hun e ha es s ha e inc eased each yea since
2000 and es ima es o ha es and eplacemen yield show he o me is double he la e , so
his popula ion is expec ed o decline unless hun ing es ic ions a e implemen ed.
The es ima e o p e-cal ing popula ion size o Qeqe a sua siaa he d o he Sou h egion in
Ma ch 2006 is ca. 5,224 ca ibou (2,831 – 7,881; 90% CI, CV=29%). Ca ibou densi y was 1.02
ca ibou pe km2. Mean g oup size was 5.2 ± 3.28 S.D. He d s uc u e obse a ions e ealed a
low (8%) la e win e cal pe cen age, howe e annual ec ui men was 32 cal es pe 100
cows. While he la e is easonable, ec ui men was double 5 yea s ago when i was 61
cal es pe 100 cows. Fu he mo e, he ma u e bull (age > 4 yea ) o cow a io was a high 211
males pe 100 emales, and he bull (age > 1 yea ) a io was 275 males pe 100 emales. The
skewed sex a io a ou ing adul males was he esul o he many male-only g oups
obse ed in he Qeqe a sua siaa a eas in p oximi y o G æde jo d (which had a high
densi y o Ame alik animals) and possibly he sligh ly emale biased ha es ing since 2000.
I na u al mo ali y is be ween 8 and 10% hen o a he d his size be ween 200 and 800
animals may be expec ed o die annually o na u al causes.
The s abili y in popula ion numbe combined wi h 1) he hea ily skewed sex a io owa ds
males, 2) he educed cal ec ui men , 3) he inc eased g oup size, and 4) inc easing
ha es s, which exceed eplacemen yield, sugges s ha Ame alik males immig a ed in o
Qeqe a sua siaa . I ue, his immig a ion may ha e main ained he Qeqe a sua siaa
es ima e, hus concealing possible educed abundance in he Qeqe a sua siaa popula ion.
8
Resume (Danish)
I ma s 2006 ble bes ands æ heden og loks uk u en a ensdy bes andene Ame alik og
Qeqe a sua siaa syd o Nuuk bes em ed helikop e -op ælling. Me ode og analyse a
de samme som ble b ug i helikop e - ællingen o em å siden. An alle a dy i de o
bes and ilsammen a ca. 15.000 ensdy med en a ians koe icien en a 13%. Rig ig mange
dy , men allige el æ e end o 5 å siden. En del a Ame alik bes anden o sæ e
ilsyneladende med a be æge sig længe e syd o e ind i Qeqe a sua siaa . De o kan man
o en e en øge opblanding a de o bes ande.
Rela i hu ige s ingninge i s ø elsen a de Ves g ønlandske ensdy bes ande ha æ e
bemæ ke siden 1700- alle , og pe iode med mange ensdy e sjældne og ko a ige. De e
an yde a s o e bes ande mulig is kan udgø e den s ø s e ussel mod bes andss abili e ,
med e e ølgende bes ands nedgang, måske på g und a o e g æsning og e e ølgende
æ hedsa hængig ødebeg ænsning. Tidlige e dokumen e an yde a nå i ha nåe de
la es e an al ensdy i en cyklus kan de age næs en e hel å hund ed ø de igen e al ige.
I dag e i an il a de e mange ensdy i Ves g ønland. Men de høje an al ensdy i ha
ople e siden 1990’e ne kan sandsynlig is ikke op e holdes uanse h ilke o al nings il ag
de age i b ug. Udo e en ela i langs ak bes ands nedgang g unde æ hedsa hængig
ødebeg ænsning, e de sandsynlig a eks eme ej o hold kan ha e be ydning. En k a ig
in e med eno me sne mængde og/elle en k a ig kombina ion a ø og os , ille kunne
hind e adgang il ig ige øde om åde og mulig is o sage en b a bes ands nedgang.
Ame alik bes anden i Ves g ønland e gåe ilbage i siden 2001, ø s og emmes på g und
a e høj jag yk. De kan æ e mege s æ a o al e en bes and i ilbagegang, ide
angs en kan o æ e en si ua ion h o bes anden i o ejen ænd e sig u o udsigelig som
espons il eks em ej , som kan o å sage en næ mes o al udsle else o e alle
alde sklasse . Sel i ha ikke ha ople e eks eme in e siden 1990’e ne, bø i æ e
opmæ ksomme på denne mulighed. Imens ha den å lig ensdy angs æ e høj siden 2000.
Da ange ne måske nedlægge y e og køe i den beds e kønsmodne alde kan e ek en på
hele bes anden æ e s ø e end an yde a an alle a skud e dy , og de e kan måske
educe e bes andens mods andsdyg ighed mod eks em ej . En løbende o e ågning a
bes ands s ø else og loks uk u sammenhold med en leksibel og hu ig jus e inge a
angs ykke kan sandsynlig is educe e denne ussel mod ensdy bes andene, .eks., h is
de bli e obse e e masse dødelighed elle ab a en hel kal e å gang. Dagens iden om
ensdy i Ves g ønland e des æ e ikke de alje e nok il a inde den ig ig balance.
Gene el bø angs ykke o de les e Ves g ønlandske ensdy bes andene o bli e høj da
le e a bes andene s adig æk e lang o e de anbe alede mål o æ hed, og da disse høje
æ hede ue bes andss abili e en (gennem o e g æsning) ua hængig a e . eks em ej
elle em idige klimaænd inge . Imidle id, da de e kons a e e nedgang i Ame alik
bes andss ø else o e de sids e 5 å på g und a angs , e de e o sig igheds p incip ble e
an end konse a i o Ame alik bes anden. Fangs ådgi ningen anbe alede bland ande
9
en ko e e jag sæson (sep embe ) og a lysning a e h e smæssig in e angs 2007 (janua -
eb ua ), mens åben angs s adig æk a illad . Den åben angs a an age a æ e
o s a lig da då lig ej kan o hind e ange e i age a s ed o mege a iden h is sæson e
ko a ig. He udo e ha Syd en mege s o opog a isk højde o skel og da in e en
ankomme sene e og sene e h e e e å e mange ensdy u ilgængelige. De a me e e å
o sinke ensdy enes and ing ned a jeldhøjde ne il e e mid en sep embe (elle sene e)
i egion Syd. Den samme ådgi ning ha æ e an end på Qeqe a sua siaa o di
opblandingen a de o bes andene højs sandsynlig e g unden o s abili e en i
Qeqe a sua siaa s bes anden , og da angs en e s ø e end den es ime ede ek u e ing.
Ame alik-bes anden – Region Syd
Denne bes and e en blanding a am en og op indelige ene mellem God håbs jo d og
G æde jo d, og udgø jag om åde 4 i Region Syd. Siden den sids e op ælling i 2001 e o
s o e ænd inge ind u e . Den anbe alede æ hed e opnåe ide bes andss ø elsen nu e
1/3 a h ad den a o 5 å siden (P < 0,01). Denne ænd ing e end ide e o sage a de
høje angs yk o e de sids e 5 å , e jag yk de ha de il o mål a educe ede bes anden
il den ønskede æ hed. Siden 2000 e de i gennemsni nedlag ca. 2.950 ensdy å lig . Fo
pe ioden 2001-2006 e bes anden alde med ca. 20% pe å (λ = 0,79), h ilke s a e il en
eksponen iel æks a e ( ) på –0,24. H is de e o sæ e il de nu æ ende an al a ensdy
i Ame alik æ e hal e ede i 2009.
Ame alik -bes anden i Region Syd ble i ma s 2006 op al il ca. 9.680 ene (6.515 – 13.147;
90% KI) ø kæl ning. Rensdy æ heden a i 2006 på 1,16 ene p . km2. Den
gennemsni lige loks ø else a 5,4 ± 3,06 SD. Andelen a kal e og ek u e ingen il
bes anden e o bed e siden 2001, men de ses e ald i an alle a y e i o hold il køe .
Sen in e -andelen a kal e a 24,8%, med en god å lige ek u e ing på 59,8 kal e p . 100
ko. Fo holde mellem y e (alde > 4 å ) og køe a på 55 y p . 100 ko, mens o holde o
y e (alde > 1 å ) a på 81 y p . 100 ko. Ved en na u lig dødelighed på 8-10%, il man i en
lok på denne s ø else kunne o en e a se en na u lig dødelighed på mellem 500 og 1.300
dy om å e .
Den es ime ede æ hed i 2006 e næs en lig de anbe ale mål på 1,2 ene p . km2, h ilke
anses o a æ e en bæ edyg ige æ hed o ensdy s se i o hold il udny elsen a
ege a ionen. De e de o sandsynlig a de nu e mind e konku ence mellem ene ne
end o em å siden h o æ heden a ca. 4 ene p . km2. Men de e ig ig a huske a
Ame alik om åde ha æ e g æsse mege i løbe a de sids e ca. 10 å , og de med e de
mulig a g æsningsa eale allige el ikke kan op e holde den anbe alede æ hed. Den ela i
gode sen in e -andel a kal e i 2006 gi e de imod g und il a håbe a den nu æ ende
æ hed e i lige æg med ege a ions udny elsen. Fa en o bes ands kollaps e des æ e
s adig ils ede på g und a u o udsigelig ej ( .eks. isning, sne dybden e c.). De med e
nøjag ige o udsigelse om bes andens em idige ud ikling ikke mulig . Skal i øge
o s åelse a den em idige ud ikling, må ensdy ene og de es g æsningsa eale s ude es i
16
popula ion es ima e was ca. 31,880 ca ibou (24,721-39,305; 80% C.I.) o he Ame alik
popula ion, and se en imes he p e ious 1996 popula ion es ima e (ca. 4,500), and 27 imes
he 1993 es ima e (ca. 1,200). The high ca ibou numbe in 2001 mean ha densi ies had
eached almos 4 ca ibou pe sq km (Table 1). Quali a i e obse a ions on ange condi ion
and appa en g azing p essu e and ampling sugges ed educed o age quali y and
quan i y by he la e 1990’s (Cuyle e al. 2003). Meanwhile cal pe cen age was 18% and
ec ui men was 40 cal es pe 100 cows. Al hough no low, hese alues we e a below he
26% and 68 cal es pe 100 cows in he Kange lussuaq-Sisimiu he d in 2000 (Cuyle e al.
2002). Gi en he Ame alik popula ion’s 2001 la ge he d size, high densi y, cal ec ui men ,
obse ed poo ange, and sou hwa d mo emen / dispe sal in o p e iously unused a eas
Cuyle e al. (2003) sugges ed ha his popula ion may ha e peaked a ound 1997-98, and
likely had been o e s ocked o se e al yea s. A decline in abundance since 2001 was
suspec ed. Rink Hein ich & Jens Bje ge (pe s comm) epo ed ma kedly ewe ca ibou in he
2004-05 hun ing seasons, whe e ea lie ca ibou had been nume ous, i.e., Ame alik,
Bukse jo d, Se milik and Alángo dlia jo ds (Figu e 2). Local knowledge (Appendix 1)
u he suppo ed a gene al decline. Rela i e o he 1990’s, when ca ibou we e
“e e ywhe e”, animals a e ypically mo e di icul o ind in he God håbs jo d, Ame alik
and Bukse jo d a eas. Howe e , high abundance clus e s a e being obse ed in localized
a eas u he and u he sou h whe e ca ibou we e once sca ce, e.g., in 2006, la ge numbe s
appea ed in G æde jo d and Qeqe a sua siaa (Fiskenæsse ) Fjo d (Appendix 1).
SOUTH
Region
G eenland
Ice Cap
Fiskenæsse
Fiskenæsse
Fiskenæsse
Fiskenæsse
Fiskenæsse
Fiskenæsse
Fiskenæsse
Fiskenæsse
Fiskenæsse
F ede ikshåb Isblink
F ede ikshåb Isblink
F ede ikshåb Isblink
F ede ikshåb Isblink
F ede ikshåb Isblink
F ede ikshåb Isblink
F ede ikshåb Isblink
F ede ikshåb Isblink
F ede ikshåb Isblink
Se meq
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Ame alik Fjo d
Ame alik Fjo d
Ame alik Fjo d
Ame alik Fjo d
Ame alik Fjo d
Ame alik Fjo d
Ame alik Fjo d
Ame alik Fjo d
Ame alik Fjo d
Bukse jo d
Bukse jo d
Bukse jo d
Bukse jo d
Bukse jo d
Bukse jo d
Bukse jo d
Bukse jo d
Bukse jo d
Alángo dlia
Alángo dlia
Alángo dlia
Alángo dlia
Alángo dlia
Alángo dlia
Alángo dlia
Alángo dlia
Alángo dlia
God håbs jo d
God håbs jo d
God håbs jo d
God håbs jo d
God håbs jo d
God håbs jo d
God håbs jo d
God håbs jo d
God håbs jo d
Qeqe a sua siaa Fjo d
Qeqe a sua siaa Fjo d
Qeqe a sua siaa Fjo d
Qeqe a sua siaa Fjo d
Qeqe a sua siaa Fjo d
Qeqe a sua siaa Fjo d
Qeqe a sua siaa Fjo d
Qeqe a sua siaa Fjo d
Qeqe a sua siaa Fjo d
Se milik
Se milik
Se milik
Se milik
Se milik
Se milik
Se milik
Se milik
Se milik
G æde jo d
G æde jo d
G æde jo d
G æde jo d
G æde jo d
G æde jo d
G æde jo d
G æde jo d
G æde jo d
Bjø nesund
Bjø nesund
Bjø nesund
Bjø nesund
Bjø nesund
Bjø nesund
Bjø nesund
Bjø nesund
Bjø nesund 10050
kilome e
0
Figu e 2. The Sou h egion jo d names used o delinea e a eas o ca ibou abundance. Ele a ion is no shown.

17
Backg ound - Qeqe a sua siaa popula ion
These indigenous ca ibou occu be ween G æde jo d and F ede ikshåb Isblink in hun ing
a ea 5. The 2001 p e-cal ing popula ion es ima e was ca. 5,372 ca ibou (2,864-8,244; 80%
C.I.), and was 30 imes g ea e han he 1993 es ima e (ca. 181). No es ima e was calcula ed
o Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou in 1996. Al hough he 2001 mean densi y was 1.1 ca ibou pe
sq. km, he cal pe cen age and ec ui men we e high (Cuyle e al. 2003), which could
p omo e abundance. Local knowledge om he 2005 hun ing season epo ed ma kedly
g ea e numbe s o ca ibou whe e ea lie he e had been ew o none, i.e., inside and a he
head o G æde jo d as well as on he mainland sou heas o he own o Fiskenæsse (Rink
& Nikolaj Hein ich pe s comm).
Fu he his o ical backg ounds o he Ame alik and Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou a e in Cuyle
e al. (2003).
Table 1. Recen la e win e he d pa ame e s o he Ame alik and Qeqe a sua siaa popula ions in Wes
G eenland (Cuyle e al. 2003).
Pa ame e 1993 1996 2001
Ame alik ca ibou popula ion – Sou h egion (4)
He d size es ima e 31,880
Mean g oup size ± SD 3.9 3.5
4.3 ± 3.65 SD
Densi y pe sq km 0.2 0.9 3.7
Cal pe cen age 3.1 16.2 17.8 %
Rec ui men (Cal / 100 Cow) 40
Sex a io (Bull > 1 yea / 100 Cow) 83
Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou popula ion – Sou h egion (5)
He d size es ima e - 5,372
Mean g oup size ±SD 1.9 -
2.9 ± 1.29 SD
Densi y pe sq km 0.03 - 1.1
Cal pe cen age 14.8 - 26.2 %
Rec ui men (Cal / 100 Cow) - 61
Sex a io (Bull > 1 yea / 100 Cow) - 72
Ha es managemen since 2001
Gi en he la ge popula ion es ima es o 2001, ecommenda ions o he G eenland Home
Rule go e nmen ad ised agains allowing u he popula ion inc ease o he Ame alik
he d and sugges ed educing popula ion abundance and densi y h ough inc eased hun e
ha es (Linnell e al. 2001, Kingsley & Cuyle 2002). Ou o conce n o p ese ing he
ege a ion and o p omo e sus ainable use, we ad ised ha ca ibou densi y on he ange be
kep below a densi y ha migh h ea en o age quali y and a ailabili y. Despi e he lack o
s udies o ca ying capaci y on Wes G eenland anges, in he 2002 ha es ad ice an
imp ecise a ge densi y o 1.2 ca ibou pe sq km was sugges ed. The a ge is based on
s udies o ca ying capaci y elsewhe e and associa ions be ween obse ed densi ies and
changes in ca ibou p oduc i i y, dispe sal o he condi ion o he ange. A densi ies o 1.03
o 1.41 eindee pe km2, emales become sexually ma u e and concei e o he i s ime
18
when jus o e 1-yea old, which sugges s his densi y is compa ible wi h op imal ange
(Reime s e al. 1983). In con as , a densi y o 4 eindee pe km2 is oo high o sus ain lichen
hea h a op imal condi ion in Finland (Helle e al. 1990). Obse a ions om S alba d
(No way) suppo his. Fi een eindee in oduced on he B øgge hal øya peninsula
(S alba d) a an ini ial densi y o 0.25 pe km2 inc eased o e 15 yea s o 400, o 6.7 pe km2,
and he once lush p e e ed mac o-lichens Ce a ia ni alis and Cladonia mi is had
disappea ed (S aaland e al. 1993). In a single win e icing e en , he popula ion c ashed o
100 (Jacobsen & Wegene 1995), bu animals had al eady begun o lea e he peninsula
(S aaland pe s. comm.). Skogland (1985) obse ed ha ec ui men ell sha ply a densi ies
o e 2.5 pe km2 owing o a decline in cal p oduc i i y o he sub-adul emales, bu ha cal
p oduc i i y o emales 3-yea s old and olde also ell sligh ly e en a densi ies o 2 pe km2.
When ca ibou each densi ies exceeding 2 pe km2, mo emen /dispe sal inc eases and
dis ibu ion can be unp edic able (Skoog 1968, Baskin 1990). Al hough possibili ies a e
limi ed, dispe sal has been obse ed in he Ame alik popula ion (Cuyle e al. 2003).
Popula ion dispe sal o mo emen shi s o new ange could delay he e ec s o ood
sho age in limi ing numbe s and Messie e al. (1988) sugges ed ha ca ibou popula ions
could o e shoo ange capaci y because o hese delays. Al hough he a ge densi y o 1.2
pe km2 is no now based on s udies o ca ying capaci y on Wes G eenland anges, i may
a ou he p ese a ion o ege a ion quan i y, quali y and a ailabili y, which will bene i
ca ibou popula ions and he sus ainabili y o u u e ha es s. A hal o popula ion inc ease,
o a educ ion in numbe s, would gi e ime o mo e p ecise a ge densi ies o be de i ed
om app op ia e s udies.
To educe ca ibou numbe and densi y, be o e na u al o ces did so, ha es p essu e was
inc eased. In 2001, he G eenland go e nmen issued 5,000 and 900 ca ibou licences o
Ame alik and Qeqe a sua siaa espec i ely o he summe -au umn hun . Simila ly in 2002
his inc eased o 12,289 and 1,100 issued licences, which in p ac ice became an open
(unlimi ed) ha es . Ac ual quo as in 2002 we e 7,400 and 700 o Ame alik and
Qeqe a sua siaa espec i ely. A win e season was also i s pe mi ed in 2002 wi h 1,300
licences. Open ha es s began in 2003, and con inued in 2004, 2005 and 2006. The win e
hun begun in 2002 was also con inued in all subsequen yea s.
T adi ionally mos ca ibou hun ing occu ed in Augus and Sep embe , and he majo i y o
animals ha es ed we e males (Loison e al. 2000). Ha es ing a g ea e numbe o emales
was ecommended o achie e a ge educ ions in abundance and densi y. A emale-only
ha es could no be implemen ed, because ha es supe ision/inspec ion is no cu en ly
possible. Ins ead, since u ing males a e conside ed inedible, he hun ing season was
ex ended in o he Oc obe u and some imes in o No embe . Fu he mo e, i was pe mi ed
o ake he cal wi h he emale.
Hun ing season was leng hened h ee o se en- old. F om 1996 un il 1999 he leng h o he
hun ing season ne e exceeded 27 days, 15 Augus o 10 Sep embe , o bo h spo and
19
comme cial hun e s. In con as , by 2004 he au umn season was 92 days o bo h
comme cial and spo hun e s, wi h comme cial hun e s ecei ing an addi ional 90-day
win e season. The season began 1 Augus 2004, paused o he mon h o No embe , and
inished a he end o Feb ua y 2005. In 2005 he season began 1 Augus and inished 15
No embe o bo h spo and comme cial hun e s, while he la e we e pe mi ed a win e
ha es 1 Janua y – 28 Feb ua y.
P esen su ey
Had he managemen s a egies implemen ed since 2001 educed ca ibou abundance o
densi y in he Ame alik popula ion o changed he Qeqe a sua siaa popula ion? In Ma ch
2006 an ae ial su ey by helicop e examined he Ame alik and Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou
popula ions o he Sou h egion o de e mine whe he popula ion size o demog aphic a es
(e.g., cal :cow a io) had changed signi ican ly. This epo p esen s cu en abundance and
he d s uc u e o ca ibou in he Sou h egion.
Me hods
Su ey design and ield me hods
In Ma ch 2006 we comple ed helicop e ansec su eys o he Ame alik and
Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou popula ions in he Sou h egion. These su eys epea ed he
design and me hods employed du ing he 2001 su eys, i.e., no su ey s a i ica ion owing
o unclea dis ibu ion o ca ibou densi ies in he egion, hus ansec alloca ion was made
acco ding o ela i e size o he wo a eas, so ha each ecei ed iden ical co e age (Cuyle e
al. 2003). A eas su eyed included islands, lakes and i e s, omi ing Ice Caps and glacie s.
T ansec loca ion and di ec ions we e andomly gene a ed. T ansec leng h was 7.5 km.
To pe mi de ec ing ca ibou p esen while lying a ansec , he me hods desc ibed in Cuyle
e al. (2003, 2005) we e epea ed, i.e., low slow helicop e ligh a cons an al i ude, while
concen a ing on a na ow s ip wid h, wi h sho leng h ansec s.
We used an Ai G eenland AS350 helicop e (OY-HGO), which could ollow e ain ea u es,
while main aining a cons an al i ude abo e g ound le el. We lew a 46-65 km/hou .
Ambien wind di ec ion and speed de e mined he necessa y ligh speed o emain
ai bo ne. We main ained a cons an al i ude o 15 me es (50 ee ). T ansec s ip wid h was
300 me es o ei he side o he helicop e , o a o al s ip wid h o 600 me es. Be o e
depa ing he ai po we asce ained he 300 me e s ip wid h using dis ance- inde
binocula s, i.e. ho e ing a he 15 m al i ude, we measu ed a dis ance o 300 m o he
b oadside o he ai plane hange wall. Obse e s ma ked hei window wi h masking ape
a he poin a which he hanga wall me he a mac. The ape unc ioned as a guide o he
300 m s ip wid h while lying ansec s.
20
Sola gla e e lec ing o he snow su ace may educe sigh abili y o ca ibou and cause
obse e a igue. Thus i was impo an ha obse e s did no look di ec ly in o he sun
when lying a ansec , and ligh di ec ion was chosen acco dingly. Du ing o e cas
condi ions sola gla e was no a p oblem and ansec s could be lown in ei he di ec ion.
Ma ch was selec ed because in o he G eenland s udies g oup size a iabili y is low and less
han 6 animals in la e win e (Roby & Thing 1985, Thing 1982, Thing & Falk 1990, Ydemann
& Pede sen 1999, Cuyle e al. 2002, 2003, 2005), and dis ibu ion o spacing o g oups, i.e.,
densi y, is ypically uni o m wi hin a egion, o s a um (no used his su ey) ega dless o
opog aphy (Cuyle e al. 2002, 2003, 2005). The low a iabili y educes sampling e o ,
pe mi ing less su ey co e age (Hea d 1989). This was impo an , as gi en inancial
cons ain s su ey co e age in his s udy was 2% o he o al a ea. Ma ch was also chosen
o i s op imal day leng h and ypically good snow co e . Pa chy snow co e is known o
educe sigh abili y (Ydemann & Pede sen 1999). Fu he mo e, G eenland ca ibou mo emen
is ela i ely low in Ma ch. S aigh line ca ibou mo emen s a e aged < 1 km pe day and
did no exceed i e kilome es pe day, howe e , in Ap il mo emen can inc ease o a mean
o 3 km pe day and a maximum o ca. 12 km pe day (Cuyle & Linnell 2004).
In addi ion o G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces esea ch biologis , Ch is ine Cuyle ,
he G eenland Associa ion o Comme cial Hun e s (KNAPK) p o ided h ee expe ienced
p o essional hun e s om Nuuk as obse e s; Rink Hein ich, Johannes Egede and La s
Ma hæussen. Th ee obse e s we e in he helicop e . Two coun ed on he le side and one
on he igh side. Coun s we e independen . The e was no e bal o o he con ac be ween
obse e s while a ansec was being lown. We used manual click-coun e s o log he
numbe o ca ibou seen on a speci ic ansec by each obse e . The numbe coun ed by each
obse e was w i en down immedia ely ollowing each ansec , a e which click-coun e s
we e ze oed. I he coun s om he wo obse e s on he le side di e ed, he la ge alue
was accep ed as he numbe o ca ibou and he di e ence being he numbe missed by he
o he obse e .
Failu e o de ec ca ibou was conside ed he mos impo an sou ce o bias (inaccu acy). A
co ec ion o missed ca ibou was applied o es ima es o abundance. Le on -sea
obse e abili y, i.e. mean missed ca ibou pe ansec , was known om he esul s o he
2000-2001 su eys (Cuyle e al. 2002, 2003). Rea sea (le and igh ) obse e abili y, was
calcula ed he ea e , by al e na ing sea posi ion. Rea sea obse e s each sa on he same
side as he known-abili y obse e se e al imes. Su ey de ails speci ic o each ca ibou
popula ion a e gi en below.
21
Ame alik ca ibou popula ion (Sou h egion, hun a ea 4)
The Sou h egion is ca. 13,473 pe manen ice- ee km2, howe e he Ame alik a ea is ca.
8,377 km2. The ae ial su ey used 40 andom ansec lines and occu ed 11-14 Ma ch 2006
(Figu e 3). He d s uc u e and ec ui men coun s we e lown o e 14 o hese ansec s.
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Ame alik
a ea o he
SOUTH
egion
282
11
87
115
188
271
94
212
182
190
37
233
267
2240
180
99
210
246 7
206
44 96
19746
172
258
40
77
296
109
295
91 34
170
28
23
41
257
167
030 60
kilome e
Figu e 3. Fo y ansec lines, wi h ID numbe s used o he 2006 ae ial su ey o he Ame alik ca ibou
popula ion in he Sou h egion. Ele a ion is no shown.
Qeqe a sua siaa
a ea o he
SOUTH egion
Qeqe a sua siaa
Qeqe a sua siaa
Qeqe a sua siaa
Qeqe a sua siaa
Qeqe a sua siaa
Qeqe a sua siaa
Qeqe a sua siaa
Qeqe a sua siaa
Qeqe a sua siaa
(Fiskenæsse )
(Fiskenæsse )
(Fiskenæsse )
(Fiskenæsse )
(Fiskenæsse )
(Fiskenæsse )
(Fiskenæsse )
(Fiskenæsse )
(Fiskenæsse )
126
12
140
105
59
26
14
90 3
199
300
30
136
10
203
185
174
150
108
86
64
62
229
1
50
kilome e
250
Figu e 4. Twen y- ou ansec lines, wi h ID numbe s used o he 2006 ae ial su ey o he Qeqe a sua siaa
/ Fiskenæsse ca ibou popula ion in he Sou h egion. Ele a ion is no shown.

22
Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou popula ion (Sou h egion, hun a ea 5)
The Sou h egion is ca. 13,473 pe manen ice- ee km2, howe e he Qeqe a sua siaa a ea is
ca. 5,096 km2. The ae ial su ey used 24 andom ansec s and occu ed 14-15 Ma ch 2006
(Figu e 4). He d s uc u e and ec ui men coun s we e lown on 7 o hose 24 ansec s and
o e la ge a eas h oughou he egion.
Es ima ing abundance
The ae ial helicop e su ey was designed as a s ip ansec coun . Each ansec had h ee
obse e s, o which wo coun ed he same s ip a ea, i.e. bo h coun ed on he le side o he
helicop e . Popula ion es ima es o he wo ca ibou popula ions in es iga ed and he
minimum numbe o he missed animals we e calcula ed acco ding o Cuyle e al. (2002,
2003). The s anda d me hod when each missed animal is iden i ied ollows Pollock &
Kendall (1987). Fo de ails see appendix 1. As no use ul me hod is a ailable which could
include he a iance o a co ec ion ac o , he con idence in e als we e ins ead calcula ed
using a boo s ap me hod (E on & Tibshi ani 1993). Calcula ing he s anda d de ia ion o
he boo s apped alues and di iding by he mean alue ob ained a coe icien o a iance.
He d s uc u e & cal ec ui men
Du ing ae ial su eys, he d s uc u e and ec ui men coun s we e ob ained by back acking
ansec s in a zigzag ligh pa e n, ne e lying mo e han ca. wo kilome es om he
ansec line, by zigzagging o e a eas o high ca ibou densi y, o by oppo unis ic
obse a ions while lying a ansec (Figu es 5 and 6). Choice o a ansec o a ea o
zigzagging depended on how many ca ibou we e p esen , since he goal was o maximize
he numbe o ca ibou, sexed and aged, o he d s uc u e and ec ui men . The e was close
communica ion be ween all obse e s and he pilo du ing zigzagging. All ca ibou sigh ed
we e sexed and aged (< o > 1 yea old) ollowing a b ie o e pass wi h he helicop e .
Sex was de e mined by he p esence o absence o a ul a and/o u ine pa ch on he ump.
This eliably indica ed a emale on bo h adul s and cal es. No o he me hod was 100%
ce ain, e.g. an le size, shape, p esence o absence, we e no used, as he p esence o an le s
on emale ca ibou is highly a iable in wes e n G eenland and polled emales a e he no m
in some popula ions. Age was de e mined by body size. Cal es o bo h sexes we e
conside ably smalle han all o he age classes a his ime o yea . The e we e wo age
classes used in subsequen analyses, i.e. cal (≤ 9-10 mon hs old) and adul (> 1 yea ). Cal
pe cen age is he pe cen age o cal es in he o al numbe o ca ibou seen. Cal ec ui men
is he la e-win e cal pe 100 cow a io. G oup size was based on p oximi y and g oup
cohesion du ing possible ligh esponse.
23
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Nuuk
Ame alik
a ea o he
SOUTH
egion
A ea 1
A ea 1
A ea 1
A ea 1
A ea 1
A ea 1
A ea 1
A ea 1
A ea 1
A ea 2
A ea 2
A ea 2
A ea 2
A ea 2
A ea 2
A ea 2
A ea 2
A ea 2
A ea 3
A ea 3
A ea 3
A ea 3
A ea 3
A ea 3
A ea 3
A ea 3
A ea 3
190
94
11
96
188
267
99
37
233
240
91 258
40
77 030 60
kilome e
Figu e 5. Sou h egion: Ame alik he d s uc u e zigzag o e ligh a eas (indica ed by blue c oss-ha ching) and
ansec s ( he blue ansec s wi h ID numbe highligh ed we e zigzagged; he ed ansec s indica e whe e
oppo unis ic obse a ions whe e ob ained). Ele a ion is no shown.
Qeqe a sua siaa
a ea o he
SOUTH egion
Qeqe a sua siaa
Qeqe a sua siaa
Qeqe a sua siaa
Qeqe a sua siaa
Qeqe a sua siaa
Qeqe a sua siaa
Qeqe a sua siaa
Qeqe a sua siaa
Qeqe a sua siaa
(Fiskenæsse )
(Fiskenæsse )
(Fiskenæsse )
(Fiskenæsse )
(Fiskenæsse )
(Fiskenæsse )
(Fiskenæsse )
(Fiskenæsse )
(Fiskenæsse )
A ea 2
A ea 2
A ea 2
A ea 2
A ea 2
A ea 2
A ea 2
A ea 2
A ea 2
A ea 1
A ea 1
A ea 1
A ea 1
A ea 1
A ea 1
A ea 1
A ea 1
A ea 1
A ea 3
A ea 3
A ea 3
A ea 3
A ea 3
A ea 3
A ea 3
A ea 3
A ea 3
12
105
59
26
90
86
174
50
kilome e
250
Figu e 6. Sou h egion: Qeqe a sua siaa he d s uc u e zigzag o e ligh a eas (indica ed by blue c oss-
ha ching) and ansec s ( he blue ansec s wi h ID numbe highligh ed we e zigzagged; he ed ansec s
indica e whe e oppo unis ic obse a ions whe e ob ained). Ele a ion is no shown.
24
Es ima ing a e o change
The ini e a e o popula ion change (λ) and he ac ual exponen ial a e o inc ease ( ) since
he 2001 ae ial su eys we e calcula ed ollowing K ebs (1972),
λ = e m (pe indi idual pe yea ).
Whe e e is he base o na u al loga i hms and he cons an , 2.71828, while m is he in insic
exponen ial a e o inc ease. The ac ual exponen ial a e o inc ease can be calcula ed as
ollows.
yea sin pe iod Time
size he d - size he d 12 lnln
=
An es ima e o he numbe o yea s i will ake a popula ion o double may be calcula ed by
di iding he cons an 0.6931 by he exponen ial a e o inc ease (Caughley 1977), and i he
is nega i e hen he equa ion e lec s hal ing ime o popula ion size.
Mo ali y a e
Age dis ibu ions in Wes G eenland in 1996–97 a e a pe iod o ligh hun ing p essu e
showed a he la age dis ibu ions ou o abou 12 yea s o age (Cuyle & Øs e gaa d 2002),
as hough age-independen mo ali y we e small and age-dependen mo ali y oughly
equi alen o 8% pe annum. Obse a ions om he 1995 ha es indica ed ha he gene al
li e expec ancy was abou 10 yea s (Loison e al. 2000), equi alen o an annual mo ali y o
ca. 10%. Annual adul mo ali ies o No h Ame ican he ds wi hou p eda o s ha e lain
be ween 4 and 8% (Be ge ud 1967, 1971, Skoog 1968, Kelsall 1968, Hea d & Ouelle 1994),
and na u al densi y-independen ac o s (e.g., wea he ) can d ama ically al e su i al
(Ga es e al. 1986). Be ge ud (1980) p oposed a s anda d adul mo ali y a e o 10% o
No h Ame ican ca ibou. The e o e he mo ali y a e o ca ibou in Wes G eenland was
assumed be ween 8 and 10% (Kingsley & Cuyle 2002).
Resul s
The su eys o Ame alik and Qeqe a sua siaa popula ions used ca. 26 hou s o lying ime,
o ca. 14.5 and 13.5 hou s espec i ely. Wea he condi ions be ween he 11 and 15 Ma ch
2006 we e excellen o s ip isibili y. A he ligh al i ude used (15 m), howe e , “dead”
g ound is common on ansec s, i.e. e ain ea u es p e en seeing he en i e 300 me e s ip
wid h. Ca ibou may be missed because hey a e hidden om iew. Dead g ound is a sou ce
o nega i e bias and con ibu es o unde es ima ing popula ion size. This sou ce o e o
ga e con idence ha ou helicop e su eys did no o e es ima e popula ion size.
As wi h he helicop e su eys o 2000, 2001 and 2005, again mo emen was no he only key
o de ec ing animals p esen on a ansec , as animals may emain lying down o
s anding/g azing wi hou o e eac ions o he helicop e ly-by. De ec ing ca ibou shape
o colou ing was necessa y o animals would be missed. The Ma ch 2006 snow co e
25
condi ions in he Sou h egion (Appendices 9, 10, 13) ga e excep ional camou lage o he
ca ibou and made de ec ion di icul , which unde lined once again he alue o he su ey’s
low ligh al i ude, low speed, and na ow s ip wid h. Snow co e was ne e ull and
ypically anged om pa chy o absen . O en a ligh dus ing o snow o os esul ed in a
“sal & peppe ” backg ound in o which he ca ibou blended almos pe ec ly. Ca ibou
sigh abili y was u he comp omised by conside able a ia ion in snow co e condi ions
along an indi idual ansec . This also con ibu es a nega i e bias o he es ima es, i.e., ou
es ima es p obably unde es ima e he ac ual abundance.
As in he 2000, 2001 and 2005 helicop e su eys, mo e ca ibou we e obse ed on he le
side o he helicop e han on he igh , 165 and 142 espec i ely in Ma ch 2006 bu he
di e ence was no signi ican (P > 0.5). No dead ca ibou we e obse ed.
Fo he combined ca ibou popula ions in he Ame alik+Qeqe a sua siaa a eas, we
obse ed a o al o 307 ca ibou, om 64 ansec s, which we e well dispe sed ac oss he
egion su eyed wi h a ea co e age o 2%. Ca ibou we e absen on o e hal he ansec s,
i.e., 34 ou o he 64. The aw da a (Appendices 3, 4) ga e a p e-cal ing popula ion es ima e
o ca. 14,871 ca ibou, wi h a densi y o ca. 1.1 ca ibou pe sq km (Table 2). The coe icien o
a iance (CV) ob ained by calcula ing he s anda d de ia ion o he boo s apped alues and
di iding by he mean alue, was 13%.
Ame alik popula ion, Sou h egion
Es ima ed popula ion size 2006
We obse ed a o al o 198 ca ibou on 40 ansec s, which p o ided 2% co e age. The aw
da a ga e an unco ec ed p e-cal ing popula ion es ima e o ca. 9,215 ca ibou, wi h a
densi y o ca. 1.1 ca ibou pe sq km. A e inco po a ing a co ec ion o missed ca ibou
(Cuyle e al. 2002), he p e-cal ing popula ion size es ima e became ca. 9,680 (90% CI: 6,515
– 13,147), and densi y emained ela i ely unchanged a 1.16 ca ibou pe sq km. The CV was
21%. The ini e a e o change (λ) om 2001 o 2006 was 0.79 pe ca ibou pe yea , which
co esponds o a nega i e 21% change pe annum o ha pe iod. The ac ual exponen ial
a e o inc ease ( ) was -0.24. A his a e o dec ease we expec he cu en numbe o
Ame alik ca ibou o d op 50% by 2009.
Densi y was no e enly dis ibu ed h oughou he egion. Ca ibou we e ew o absen o e
la ge a eas and abundan in o he s (Figu e 7), e.g. we e absen (ze o obse ed) on 20 ou o
40 ansec s (Appendix 3). Speci ically he Alángo dlia/Se milik and G æde jo d
(Kange dlua ssugssuaq) a eas had ela i ely high concen a ions o ca ibou. While
zigzagging o he d s uc u e, 44 ca ibou we e obse ed nea ansec 40 and 10 we e
ac ually obse ed on he ansec s ip. Fu he mo e, 65 animals we e obse ed on he no h
sho e o G æde jo d, while 35 we e obse ed on ansec s 77 and 172. Two males we e a
ma ked o e all da k b own colou a ion sugges ing semi-domes ic eindee he i age. The
32
1
4
7
10
13
16
19
22
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
F equency
Obse ed g oup size
2001
1
4
7
10
13
16
19
0
2
4
6
8
F equency
Obse ed g oup size
2006
Figu e 9. The 2001 and 2006 obse ed g oup size and equency. The Ame alik popula ion, which includes e al
eindee , is ligh g een (!), and he indigenous Qeqe a sua siaa popula ion is o ange (!) (Cuyle e al. 2003,
his s udy). The di e ence in g oup size be ween he wo popula ions was signi ican in 2001 bu no in 2006 (P
= 0.0004 and P= 0.76, espec i ely).

33
This is a ypical o indigenous ca ibou in Wes G eenland in la e win e , and he clumped
dis ibu ion esul ed in a lowe CV han expec ed. Local knowledge con i med ha animals
a e now gene ally sca ce, bu clus e s o abundance occu and a e ound a speci ic si es. The
abo e sugges s ha ca ibou densi ies emain high a selec loca ions, which may deple e
o age. Al e na ely, he e is he small possibly ha he mean g oup size inc ease e lec s
smalle g oups being o e looked, as hese would ha e been di icul o spo in he pa chy
and “sal & peppe ” camou lage backg ounds ypical o he en i e egion du ing his su ey
(see Appendices 9 & 10).
Qeqe a sua siaa popula ion
The only di e ence be ween he 2001 and 2006 su eys was he addi ion o h ee ansec s,
which could no be lown in 2001 owing o inancial cons ain s. The addi ional ansec s in
2006 se ed only o educe he s ill conside able CV by 10% and would no ha e a ec ed he
popula ion size es ima e. Simila o he 2001 su eys, conside he 2006 abundance a
conse a i e es ima e, as a nega i e bias o ca ibou missed emains, owing o pa chy snow
co e , “sal & peppe ” backg ounds, and “dead” g ound. Fu he , une en dis ibu ion
(densi y) obse ed bo h in 2001 and 2006 compounded wi h he low (2%) co e age would
cause inaccu acy and unde es ima e abundance (Hea d 1989). S a i ica ion in u u e
su eys could educe he p oblem o une en dis ibu ion.
The 2001 o 2006 end o Qeqe a sua siaa popula ion size is s able. The co ec ed p e-
cal ing Ma ch 2006 Qeqe a sua siaa popula ion es ima e is ca. 5,224 ca ibou (2,831 – 7,881;
90% CI), which is simila o he 2001 es ima e o ca. 5,372 ca ibou (2,864 – 8,244; 80% C.I.).
Since me hods be ween he su eys o 2001 and 2006 did no di e , con idence in e als do
o e lap, and mean es ima es a e no signi ican ly di e en (P > 0.5), he p esen esul s
sugges a s able animal abundance o e he pas 5 yea s. The exponen ial a e o popula ion
change was - 0.006, which implies ha abundance will no change apidly. As abundance
was s able so was densi y, being now 1.0 ca ibou pe sq km, which coincides wi h he
ecommended a ge densi y. Howe e , analysis o he ha es impac s since 2000 showed
ha he numbe o Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou aken inc eased each yea since 2000 and
cu en ha es s exceed eplacemen yield, he e o e he Qeqe a sua siaa popula ion is
expec ed o decline o 3,900 indi iduals by 2012 unless es ic ions a e applied (Wi ing &
Cuyle 2007).
Unexpec edly, he e we e a lack o emales and cal es in he 2006 he d s uc u e
obse a ions. Fu he mo e, he la e win e cal ec ui men d opped almos 50%, om 61
cal es pe 100 cows in 2001, o only 32 cal es pe 100 cows in 2006. The cu en igu e is
e lec ed in a skewed he d s uc u e (67.54% male, 24.56% emale, 7.89% cal es), which is
p edomina ed by males. The g ea e numbe o males may ha e esul ed om an unusual
and g ea e han expec ed sex-seg ega ed clumping o animals du ing he 2006 su ey, i.e.,
ha we chanced upon p ima ily male g oups wi h ou andom ansec s. S ill, he educed
cal ec ui men sugges s he possibili y o ele a ed cal mo ali y o dec eased ecundi y o
34
adul emales o bo h. Al e na ely, he changed he d s uc u e may also e lec a shi in
hun e p e e ence. In he pas ha es s ha e been hea ily male-skewed in G eenland
(Loison e al. 2000), bu he cu en al e ed he d s uc u e may be he esul o he sligh ly
emale-skewed ha es ing, mean 54.3% ± 1.29 S.D., in he Qeqe a sua siaa popula ion since
2000 (Wi ing & Cuyle 2007). Reduced ec ui men and a sex a io biased agains emales
means less eplacemen is occu ing, i.e. he e a e ewe indi iduals in he nex gene a ion.
This si ua ion is cause o conce n because i lowe s he esilience o a popula ion. Wi hou
su icien ec ui men i will no be able o p o ide a sus ainable annual ha es and could
be suscep ible o a decline o a c ash in abundance, speci ically i ad e se and widesp ead
s ochas ic e en s occu . In es iga ions on ecundi y and cal mo ali y a e needed.
Gi en he unal e ed he d size, he mean g oup size inc ease is puzzling, 2.89 ± 1.29 SD o
5.18 ± 3.28 SD, 2001 and 2006 espec i ely. The di e ence is signi ican (P = 0.004), and in
2006 he e was g ea e a ia ion in g oup size. We sugges ha he g ea e g oup size is
because ei he popula ion size is la ge han he su ey esul , o e al eindee om he
Ame alik popula ion, which possess high g oup cohesi eness, we e p esen on many o he
ansec s su eyed in he Qeqe a sua siaa a ea.
We suspec ha he p ima y cause o inc eased g oup size and s able abundance obse ed
was mixing o he Qeqe a sua siaa and Ame alik popula ions. The immig a ion o
ca ibou/ e al eindee om he Ame alik a ea could ha e main ained he Qeqe a sua siaa
popula ion size despi e inc easing ha es p essu e o a declining na i e popula ion.
Fu he mo e he mixed descendan s a e exhibi ing he semi-domes ic eindee endency o
agg ega e in o g oups la ge han 10, which is ypical o he mixed Ame alik popula ion bu
no indigenous G eenland ca ibou. The p esence o la ge numbe s o Ame alik animals in
G æde jo d, which is in close p oximi y o he Qeqe a sua siaa popula ion, suppo s his
sugges ion.
Managemen implica ions
A cen al ques ion a ises om he su ey esul s o 2006. Why is he Ame alik popula ion
now 1/3 he size i was 5 yea s ago? We did no obse e any ca casses in he e ain du ing
he su ey, no does local knowledge (Appendix 1) epo unusual na u al mo ali y, i.e.,
abo e and beyond he assumed 8-10%, in ei he he d o e he pas 5 yea s. The pe iod 2000-
2006, howe e , saw sha ply inc eased quo as he i s h ee yea s and unlimi ed ha es s o
he las ou yea s, when o he i s ime long hun ing seasons we e also pe mi ed. The
managemen goal was o educe he size o he ca ibou popula ions be o e na u al o ces did
so. The G eenland Na ional Comme cial Hun e ’s Union (KNAPK) says ha 80% o he
comme cial ca ibou ha es b ough in o he Nuuk ma ke comes om he Sou h egion, i.e.
om Ame alik Fjo d and sou hwa ds (La s Ma hæussen & Nikolaj Hein ich pe s comm.).
An analysis o he impac o hun e ha es concluded ha he s ong decline was he esul
o he inc eased hun ing p essu e since 2000 (Wi ing & Cuyle 2007). The ha es analysis
did no conside he con ibu ion o a possible loss o Ame alik animals owing o dispe sal
35
in o Qeqe a sua siaa , which we ha e sugges ed in his s udy gi en ci cums an ial
e idence. Dispe sal would ha e esul ed in a ne loss o he Ame alik popula ion size and a
ne gain o he Qeqe a sua siaa . Howe e , gi en ha he 2006 mean popula ion es ima e
o Qeqe a sua siaa is only ca. 5,000 ca ibou, he numbe o Ame alik animals sugges ed o
be among hem is assumed o be ela i ely modes compa ed o he Ame alik popula ion
decline o ca. 22,000 animals. Hun ing s ands as he p ima y cause.
Be ween 2001 and 2006, hun e ha es educ ion o Ame alik popula ion size was he
managemen goal o p o ec he ange om o e g azing and ampling. Whe e he ange
has been comp omised, ca ibou numbe s may decline ega dless o ou e o s. Whe e
ca ibou densi ies a e abo e ha ecommended, hun ing may be used o educe ca ibou
abundance and hus p ese e some o he ange o an ea lie eco e y han i le o na u al
g azing induced ca ibou- ege a ion cycles, which can be compounded by wea he cycles,
i.e., local knowledge epo ed ha ex eme d yness in summe 2004 a ec ed plan g ow h
(Appendix 1). By inc easing he 2001-2006 ha es s, managemen hoped o educe
o e g azing (o po en ial o such) on win e anges. In con as o 2001, now wi h ewe
animals compe ing o o age and o he esou ces he o e all si ua ion appea s o ha e
imp o ed o his popula ion, i.e., he cal ec ui men has inc eased while he sex a io
emains no mal. Howe e , he e emains conce n o his he d because hun ing was
esponsible o he s eep educ ion in abundance. Also, he animals now cong ega e in high
abundance in ela i ely ew small a eas, which could make hem easy o hun . Fu he hese
clumped concen a ions could ela i ely quickly deple e o age esou ces a hose locali ies.
Gi en i s pas his o y o o e g azing p e ious pas u es, he Ame alik he d mus no be
pe mi ed o inc ease in numbe om i s cu en size.
Following a con inual pe iod o o e all popula ion g ow h and high abundance, ca ibou
popula ions can unde go a leng hy s eady decline o e a se ies o yea s, e.g. a decade,
owing o densi y-dependen esponses associa ed wi h o e g azing (Mille e . al 2005).
Deple ion o win e lichen anges can p ess a popula ion in o a phase o densi y-dependen
o age-limi a ion wi h consequences o ollow in subsequen yea s (Mille e al. 2005). Gi en
he deg ee o o e s ocking (which causes o e g azing) p e alen in Wes G eenland o
mo e ha a decade, i is possible ha we may soon expe ience a ansi ion in o a long pe iod
o low ca ibou abundance.
Rela i ely apid ise and all cycles o abundance in Wes G eenland ca ibou popula ions
ha e been no ed since he 1700s (Figu e 10), wi h pe iods o abundance being in equen
and sho -li ed. This sugges s ha high abundance migh be he g ea es h ea o
popula ion s abili y, p o oking a new decline, speci ically when anges a e o e g azed. Pas
eco ds indica e ha once an ex eme low abundance is eached, he be e pa o a cen u y
goes by be o e ca ibou again inc ease in numbe .
36
1720 1740 1760 1780 1800 1820 1840 1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000
Yea
Ca ibou abundance
Figu e 10. His o ical ise and all cycles o ela i e ca ibou abundance in wes G eenland based on Vibe (1967),
Meldgaa d (1986) and he 2001 abundance es ima e. Only gene al ends a e illus a ed, since he ca ibou
popula ions in wes G eenland do no cycle in absolu e synch ony (Meldgaa d, 1986), and es ima es we e
una ailable excep o in 2001. Du ing pe iods o low abundance, eco ds sugges ca ibou disappea almos
en i ely. No ha es eco ds we e a ailable om 1983 o 1995.
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005
Yea
Numbe o ca ibou killed
Figu e 11. Ca ibou ha es eco ds 1935 – 2005 (Anon: G ønlands angs lis e , Pinia neq). No eco ds we e
kep be ween 1983 and 1995. Red columns a e open ha es . Yellow columns, 1989-1992, a e assumed ha es
le el (Pe e Nielsen pe s comm). Blue columns, 1995-1999, a e ha es s a ained when legal quo as we e low.
O ange columns, 2000-2002, a e ha es s a ained when legal quo as we e d ama ically inc eased.
37
The ha es da a o Wes G eenland (Figu e 11) indica es ha a ise in ca ibou abundance
may ha e begun in he la e 1960’s and ex ended in o a leas he ea ly 1980’s, when ha es
s a is ics we e discon inued. Al e na ely, he ha es inc ease o he 1970’s may e lec an
inc ease in o e all hun ing e o and inc eased e iciency h ough be e i ea ms and
speedboa s. Rega dless, a ca ibou boom in he pas decade is clea om local knowledge
and he 2000 o 2006 popula ion es ima es. Combined hey sugges a pe iod o ca ibou
abundance co e ing mos o he pas 35 yea s.
Today he public a e accus omed o high ca ibou abundance, which pas his o y indica es
canno las . Wha does he public expec ega ding p esen and u u e ca ibou abundance in
Wes G eenland? The pubic mus be in o med, so ha hey may unde s and and accep ha
he la ge numbe s o ca ibou obse ed and a ailable since he 1990’s in Wes G eenland
likely canno be main ained by any managemen scheme wi h ha goal in mind.
The di e ence be ween minimums and maximums in Wes G eenland ca ibou abundance is
on he scale o a mouse o an elephan (Meldgaa d 1986). Al hough e idence is lacking, o e
he cen u ies, o e -ha es ing ypically was blamed o he disappea ance o ca ibou
ollowing a pe iod o abundance (Meldgaa d 1986), al hough G eenlande s we e ew in
numbe and implemen s o ha es p imi i e when he ab up ca ibou popula ion c ashes o
ca. 1750 and 1850 occu ed. Ins ead, he ole o un a ou able wea he o disas ous wea he
e en s may ha e been o majo impo ance, and clima e may be cen al o explaining he
ca ibou cycles obse ed in G eenland (Vibe 1967, 1982, 1984, Meldgaa d 1986) as well as he
ex inc ion o Rangi e a andus eog oenlandicus in No heas G eenland a ound 1900
(Dege bøl 1957). In his epo we make no e e ence o he NAO (No h A lan ic
Oscilla ion) e ec on ca ibou popula ion cycles in Wes G eenland, al hough his subjec has
ecei ed heo e ical ea men ecen ly by Pos & Fo chhamme (2002), as he e is deba e in
he li e a u e (Vik e al. 2004). Fu he in ou expe ience G eenland ca ibou (and muskox)
popula ion abundance da a om he pas a e suspec (Cuyle 2007) and ha es epo ing
me e guidelines. Pos & Fo chhamme (2002) epo edly used aw hun ing s a is ics wi h an
unknown ela ionship o popula ion dynamics. Also, ha es s may ha e been in luenced by
socio-economic ac o s un ela ed o he he ds o he NAO. Fu he in es iga ion using
obus da abases o abundance es ima es and egional clima e is needed and may ye show
an unequi ocal ela ionship be ween la ge he bi o e popula ion dynamics in G eenland
and he NAO o AO (A c ic Oscilla ion).
In con as o p o ac ed popula ion declines o e many yea s in esponse o densi y-
dependan ac o s, a popula ion c ash is de ined as a sudden educ ion in numbe s, ≥ 30%,
in a single yea e en , while an ex eme popula ion c ash would be ≥ 50% (Mille e al. 2005).
Rega dless o popula ion s a us (inc easing, s able, declining) a se e e win e e en , e.g.,
haw- eeze, deep snow, can cause p ema u e and ab up c ashes in ca ibou numbe s
(Mille e al. 2005, Jacobsen & Wegne 1995).

38
Clima e change in Wes G eenland is expec ed o cause inc eased empe a u es and
p ecipi a ion (Rysgaa d e al. 2003), which could inc ease he equency o se e e s ochas ic
wea he e en s. Ex eme condi ions es ic ing access o o age, e.g. win e haw- eeze icing
o excessi ely deep snows ha e been known o esul in nea o al mo ali y ac oss age
classes in ca ibou (Mille 1990, Jacobsen & Wegene 1995). Al hough ca as ophic wea he
e en s ha e no occu ed in ecen yea s, we should be ale o hei possibili y, as in
addi ion o popula ion ends, hese could play a majo ole in he u u e abundance o Wes
G eenland ca ibou. In G eenland whe e ca ibou a e limi ed in hei abili y o dispe se o
new anges, how many animals su i e a ca as ophic wea he e en will depend on he
e en ’s se e i y, ex en and du a ion. Collapse o a ec ed ca ibou popula ions in a single
yea e en is possible.
Sound managemen o conse a ion o a declining popula ion is he e o e ex emely
di icul , because hun ing can wo sen a si ua ion whe e popula ion size is changing
unp edic ably in esponse o ca as ophic wea he e en s o pe haps jus un a ou able
wea he ends. I ca ibou a e low in abundance hen excessi e ha es ing may cause o e -
deple ion ha may unnecessa ily pos pone a u u e popula ion eco e y. Fu he mo e, he
majo i y o ca ibou aken in a hun e ha es a e likely he mos ep oduc i ely aluable
indi iduals (males and emales in hei p ime) a he han he young, sick o old. The e o e,
he e ec on he en i e he d could be g ea e han he o al numbe ca ibou killed would
sugges . Close moni o ing o popula ion size and demog aphics coupled wi h lexible apid
adjus men s o hun ing p essu e can diminish his h ea . The p esen le el o knowledge
abou ca ibou in Wes G eenland, howe e , may no be su icien ly de ailed o s ike he
igh balance. The e o e we ecommend ha ca ibou managemen build popula ion
esilience, e.g., a sex and age s uc u e a ou ing abundance eco e y.
Recommenda ions o he 2006 ha es
As a esul o hun e ha es , he Ame alik popula ion declined om abou 32,000 in 2001 o
abou 10,000 animals in 2006 (Wi ing & Cuyle 2007), and KNAPK assessed he Ame alik
ha es p essu e as 80% o he o al Nuuk ca ch. Should a la ge and e ec i e ha es be
allowed o con inue on he Ame alik popula ion? The e a e ewe animals and hese a e
une enly dis ibu ed ac oss he egion, bu cal ec ui men is good. I he p esen ange
s a us (i.e., ege a ion ype, quali y, quan i y, a ailabili y) can suppo he cu en densi y,
which is compa ible wi h he ecommended a ge densi y, hen u he educ ion in
popula ion size is unnecessa y. On he o he hand, we ad ise agains he Ame alik he d
being allowed o inc ease in size, and in summe 2006 local knowledge sou ces again
obse ed emales wi h wo cal es a heel ( winning), indica ing a capaci y o apid he d
g ow h. Combining he Ame alik & Qeqe a sua siaa popula ions ep esen s ca. 15,000
ca ibou in he Sou h egion. They may some imes seem ew-and- a -be ween because hey
a e sp ead o e a ca. 13,500 sq km a ea. In con as o o he popula ions, hei endency o
clump in o la ge and accessible agg ega ions du ing he au umn u (Sep -Oc ) also makes
39
hem spa se o e la ge a eas and locally abundan in o he s. Once an agg ega ion is ound,
howe e , ha es ing a la ge numbe o animals o e a sho pe iod is possible.
As he dec ease in Ame alik he d size o e he pas 5 yea s was he esul o hun ing, he
p ecau iona y p inciple was applied conse a i ely o he Ame alik popula ion in an
a emp o s ike a balance be ween ha es ing enough bu no oo ew. The 2006
ecommenda ion was o an open ha es o only one mon h (Sep embe ) and no win e
hun . The la e would bene i ges a ing emales. We ecommended Sep embe , p ima ily
because i may p omo e he ha es o an equal numbe o males and emales. Ame alik
males wi h hei semi-domes ic eindee he i age may en e he u in he la e hal o
Sep embe , which makes hem unpala able and emales p e e able. A p esen ,
implemen a ion and en o cemen o sex and age speci ic ca ibou licences a e no possible in
G eenland. Fu he mo e, he a i al o win e has been inc easingly delayed in ecen yea s,
and in gene al he Wes G eenland ca ibou ha e been coming down ou o he high
ele a ions a e e la e and la e da es, i.e. Sep embe , Oc obe and e en No embe .
Al hough he hun ing season in Wes G eenland has begun on 1 Augus o many yea s,
gi en ecen wa ming in Wes G eenland, i hun ing season leng h on he Ame alik he d is
only 1 mon h, hen Sep embe may pe mi la ge ha es s han a ha es in Augus . The
open ha es was assumed pe missible, as he di icul high e ain ele a ions o Ame alik
p o ide na u al p o ec ion om hun e s o he majo i y o he animals, which emain in he
high moun ains in he cu en wa m au umns, e.g. 2005-2006, and a e he eby unob ainable.
Addi ional p o ec ion comes om he ypically unp edic able sailing wea he , which can
keep hun e s in ha bou and limi s hun ing success i he season is sho .
The Ame alik ecommenda ion was ex ended o he Qeqe a sua siaa popula ion because
mixing o hese he ds is suspec ed in main aining he Qeqe a sua siaa 2006 abundance
es ima e, and popula ion decline is expec ed as ca ch o he wise inc eases each yea and
cu en ha es s exceed eplacemen yield. Gi en he Qeqe a sua siaa skewed sex a io
agains emales, shoo ing emales was no longe encou aged. Recommenda ions o o he
ca ibou popula ions emained essen ially unchanged om he 2005 season.
Subsequen o he abo e ecommenda ion, he G eenland Home Rule go e nmen made he
ollowing managemen decisions o he au umn 2006 – win e 2007 hun ing season on he
Ame alik and Qeqe a sua siaa popula ions: Summe ha es emained open (no quo as)
om 1 Augus o 10 Sep embe 2006. Win e Janua y-Feb ua y ha es 2007 was cancelled.
Managemen decisions o he au umn 2007 – win e 2008 hun ing season al e ed season
pe iod o 15 Augus –30 Sep embe 2006, while all else emained unchanged.
Hun e ha es epo s
The Wi ing & Cuyle (2007) ha es analysis was handicapped by he ac ha ew Nuuk
comme cial hun e s epo hei ha es , e.g. in 2005 only eigh comme cial hun e s and 124
ca ibou (89 Ame alik; 35 Qeqe a sua siaa ) we e epo ed killed. In con as , he oughly
40
es ima ed 2005 ha es s1 we e ca. 2,300 and 340 ca ibou o Ame alik and Qeqe a sua siaa
espec i ely. Popula ion speci ic ha es s a is ics would g ea ly assis managemen . Fo
example, he expec ed decline in ca ibou abundance in he Sou h egion is easily unde s ood
i one conside s ha he combined ha es is ca. 18% o he combined popula ion es ima e,
and once he 8-10% na u al mo ali y is added (i.e. 26% o 28%) i becomes appa en ha he
combined cal ec ui men o 19% is insu icien o main ain cu en popula ion size.
1 The Wi ing & Cuyle (2007) annual ha es s om each popula ion we e es ima ed using de ailed ha es da abases based on
hun e epo s as ollows. Indi idual coun y es ima es o each he d, we e ob ained by compa ing he o al annual ca ch o all
he ds o a speci ic coun y o he ela i e dis ibu ion o ca ches be ween he di e en hun ing a eas o all ecei ed hun e
epo s o ha coun y. The indi idual es ima es o ca ibou killed pe popula ion by each coun y we e hen summed o ob ain
an es ima ed o al annual ha es om each ca ibou popula ion.
Acknowledgemen s
This p ojec was inanced by he G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces, Nuuk,
G eenland. G a e ul hanks go o Ai G eenland and hei helicop e pilo Niklas Fjellg en,
who p o ided hou s o sa e lying. Thanks also o he G eenland Associa ion o Comme cial
Hun e s (KNAPK) o p o iding obse e s, who we e excellen a spo ing ca ibou despi e
poo snow co e condi ions. We hank Anne Gunn, who ga e many excellen sugges ions,
and La s Wi ing o e iew o he manusc ip . We hank Joseph Pa ick McCullough o
p oo eading.
Li e a u e ci ed
Aas up P. & Mosbech A. 1993. T ansec wid h and missed obse a ions in coun ing muskoxen
(O ibos moscha us) om ixed-wing ai c a . Rangi e . 13: 99-104.
Anon. Di ek o a e o Fiske i og Fangs , Pinia neq angs lis e 1993-2005.
Baskin L. M. 1990. Popula ion dynamics o eindee . Rangi e , Special Issue No.3: 151–56.
Be ge ud A.T. 1967. Managemen o Lab ado ca ibou. J. Wildl. Manage. 31: 621-642.
Be ge ud A.T. 1971. The popula ion dynamics o New oundland ca ibou. Wildl. Monog . 25:55 pp.
Be ge ud A.T. 1980. A e iew o he popula ion dynamics o ca ibou and wild eindee in No h
Ame ica. pp. 556-581. - In: E. Reime s, E. Gaa e and S. Skjennebe g (eds). P oceedings o he Second
In e na ional Reindee /Ca ibou Symposium. Rø os, No way 1979. Di ek o a e o il og
e sk anns isk. T ondheim. 779 pp.
Caughley G. 1974. Bias in ae ial su ey. Jou nal o Wildli e Managemen . 38: 921-933.
Caughley G. 1977. Analysis o e eb a e popula ions. John Wiley & Sons, New Yo k. 234pp.
Caughley G. & G ice D. 1982. A co ec ion ac o o coun ing emus om he ai , and i s applica ion
o coun s in wes e n Aus alia. Aus alian Wildli e Resea ch 9: 253-259.
Caughley G., Sinclai R. & Sco -Kemmis D. 1976. Expe imen s in ae ial su ey. Jou nal o Wildli e
Managemen . 40: 290-300.
Cuyle C. 2007. Wes G eenland ca ibou explosion: Wha happened? Wha abou he u u e? Rangi e .
Special Issue No. 17: xx–xx.
41
Cuyle C., Rosing M., Linnell J.D.C., Loison A., Inge sle T. & Landa A. 2002. S a us o he
Kange lussuaq-Sisimiu ca ibou popula ion (Rangi e a andus g oenlandicus) in 2000, Wes
G eenland. Pinngo i ale i ik – G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces. Technical Repo No.
42. 52 pp.
Cuyle L.C., Rosing M., Linnell J.D.C., Lund P.M., Jo dhøy P., Loison A. & Landa A. 2003. S a us o 3
Wes G eenland ca ibou popula ions; 1) Akia-Manii soq, 2) Ame alik & 3) Qeqe a sua siaa .
Pinngo i ale i ik – G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces. Technical Repo No. 46. 74 pp.
Cuyle L.C., Rosing M., Egede J., Hein ich R. & Mølgaa d H. 2005. S a us o wo Wes G eenland
ca ibou popula ions; 1) Akia-Manii soq, 2) Kange lussuaq-Sisimiu . Pinngo i ale i ik –
G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces. Technical Repo No. 61. Pa I-II, 64+44 pp.
Cuyle L.C., Rosing M., Linnell J.D.C., Lund P.M., Loison A. & Landa A. 2004. Ne ia & Qassi ca ibou
minimum coun & he d s uc u e, in 2000, Paamiu , Wes G eenland. Pinngo i ale i ik –
G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces. Technical Repo No. 48. 46 pp.
Cuyle C. & Linnell J.D.C. 2004. Å lig and ingsmøns e hos sa elli mæ kede ensdy i Ves g ønland.
Kapi el 6: 189-210 – In: Aas up P. (ed.) Samspille mellem ensdy , ege a ion og menneskelige
ak i i e e i Ves g ønland. Pinngo i ale i ik – G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces. Technical
Repo No. 49. 321 pp.
Cuyle L.C. & Øs e gaa d J. 2005. Fe ili y in wo Wes G eenland ca ibou popula ions 1996/97:
Po en ial o apid g ow h. Wildli e Biology. 11(3): 31-37.
Dege bøl M. 1957. The ex inc eindee o Eas G eenland. Ac a A c ic 10: 57 pp.
E on B. & Tibshi ani R.J. 1993. An In oduc ion o he Boo s ap. Chapman & Hall, New Yo k, NY.
Ga es C.C., Adamczewski J. & Mulde s R. 1986. Popula ion Dynamics, Win e Ecology, and Social
O ganiza ion o Coa es Island Ca ibou. A c ic. 39(3): 216-222.
G aham A. & Bell R. 1989. In es iga ing obse e bias in ae ial su ey by simul aneous double-
coun s. Jou nal o Wildli e Managemen . 53: 1009-1016.
Hea d D. 1989. Science. Pp. 81-88. – In: E. Hall (ed). People & Ca ibou in he No hwes Te i o ies.
Depa men o Renewable Resou ces, Go e nmen o he No hwes Te i o ies, Yellowkni e,
NWT. Canada. 190 pp.
Hea d D.C. & Ouelle J.P. 1994. Dynamics o an in oduced ca ibou popula ion. A c ic. 47(1): 88-95.
Helle T., Kilpelä S.S. & Aikio P. 1990. Lichen anges, animal densi ies and p oduc ion in Finnish
eindee managemen . Rangi e . Special Issue No. 3: 115–121.
Jacobsen L.B. & Wegene C. 1995. E ec o eindee g azing on demog aphy pa ame e s o D aba
co ymbosa R.B . ex DC (B assicaceae). – In: VI In e na ional Symposium, In e na ional O ganiza ion o
Plan Biosys ema is s (IOPB) T omsø. July 29–Augus 2, 1995. P og am and Abs ac s. Va ia ion
and e olu ion in A c ic and Alpine plan s, p. 43.
Jepsen B.I. 1999. Popula ionsgene iske s udie a ild en (Rangi e a andus g oenlandicus) and am en
(Rangi e a andus a andus) i Ves g ønland. MSc Thesis, Bo any Ins i u e, Uni e si y o
Copenhagen, Denma k. 64 pp. (in Danish).
Jepsen B.I., Siegismund H.R. & F edholm M. 2002. Popula ion gene ics o he na i e ca ibou (Rangi e
a andus g oenlandicus) and he semi-domes ic eindee (Rangi e a andus a andus) in
Sou hwes e n G eenland: E idence o in og ession. Conse a ion Gene ics. 3: 401-409.
48
on he Bukse jo d sea ice, and elsewhe e in he Ame alik a ea. Jens has no obse ed any
na u al mo ali y om 2001 o 2006.
Hun ing season 2006 ended oo ea ly
Ka olus S e ani obse ed ha he ugged moun ain opog aphy no h o Qeqe a sua siaa
(Fiskenæsse ) makes hun ing s enuous. I is di icul o impossible o access la ge a eas a
he high ele a ions whe e he ca ibou a e. The e o e Ka olus hinks he e will always be
ca ibou he e, because he hun e s canno each hem.
Ka olus S e ani has obse ed ha when he wea he is wa m, he ca ibou emain in he
high ele a ions, and descend o he lowlands only when he wea he u ns cold and snow
co e s he high ele a ions. In he 1 Augus o 10 Sep embe 2006 hun ing season, he
wea he emained wa m un il a e he season ended, which made he majo i y o he
ca ibou inaccessible, as hey emained a high ele a ions. The hea in Augus also made he
mosqui o ha assmen ex emely bo he some o he hun e s. In Oc obe 2006 colde wea he
came, and he ca ibou came down o he lowlands in g ea numbe s, bu he hun e s could
only look a hem. Owing o he unusually wa m wea he in 2006, he 10 h o Sep embe was
oo ea ly o end he hun ing season. The ca ibou a e abundan and need o be ha es ed o
hey will o e g aze hei pas u es. He is wo ied ha he ca ibou will become o e abundan
in he Qeqe a sua siaa a ea.
An hon Egede ag eed ha ca ibou emain a high ele a ion i he wea he is wa m. In
Augus 2006, o shoo ca ibou in he Ame alik po ion o he Sou h egion he had o go in o
he high ele a ions.
Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou
The ollowing local knowledge o he Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou comes solely (unless
indica ed o he wise) om comme cial (KNAPK) hun e Ka olus S e ani.
Gene al
Ka olus S e ani usually hun s jus o he no h o he F ede ikshåb Isblink and some imes
on he del a a ea a ound he on . The ca ibou he e ha e sho e legs bu la ge obus
bodies wi h mo e mea and ump a , han ca ibou ha es ed o he no h o
Qeqe a sua siaa (Fiskenæsse ), i.e. he Ame alik popula ion. Ka olus has no no iced any
di e ence in pel colou a ion be ween he wo a eas, bu he F ede ikshåb Isblink ca ibou
ha e smalle an le s. In con as o he Ame alik ca ibou popula ion, Ka olus has ne e
obse ed emales wi h wo cal es a heel, in he F ede ikshåb Isblink a ea. The ca ibou
a ound F ede ikshåb Isblink mo e back and o h be ween he a ea no h o he Isblink and
Qassi , which is in Paamiu egion. They wande o e he del a la s in on o he Isblink.
The low-lying e ain jus o he no h o he F ede ikshåb Isblink and he del a a ea a ound
he on allow easy access o hun ing.

49
Abundance & dis ibu ion
P io o 1960 he e we e ew ca ibou in he Qeqe a sua siaa a ea. Ka olus S e ani and
o he hun e s would always success ully ake a ew ca ibou in he coas al a eas be ween
Qeqe a sua siaa (Fiskenæsse ) and G æde jo d, bu he ca ibou we e no abundan . I was
a e he hun ing p ohibi ion o 1993-1994 ha he no iced an inc ease in ca ibou numbe .
E e since 1995, he ca ibou a e e e ywhe e and inc easing in numbe .
Be ween 2001 and 2006 he e has been a slow s eady inc ease in he numbe o ca ibou in he
Qeqe a sua siaa a ea. In Augus 2006 Ka olus S e ani ook 2 ca ibou on he mainland
sho e only a ew kilome es eas o own, and bo h hese animals had, he much p ized, deep
laye o ump a . In au umn 2006 ca ibou we e ex emely abundance in he inne
Qeqe a sua siaa Kange dlua jo d eas o Qeqe a sua siaa (Fiskenæsse ). Today hun e s
sail his jo d sho eline slowly, easily spo ing ca ibou ha a e wi hin shoo ing ange.
Nikolaj Hein ich and An hon Egede ag eed wi h his obse a ion. Nikolaj Hein ich
p oposed ha his mean ha he Ame alik ca ibou we e mo ing sou h in o he a ea o he
Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou popula ion.
Ca ibou may also be aken in he alleys a he head o Bjø nesund. These come om he
Qeqe a sua siaa inland by he Ice Cap.
In Ka olus S e ani ‘s li e ime he e ha e ne e been ca ibou on he island whe e he own o
Qeqe a sua siaa (Fiskenæsse ) is si ua ed, o on he la ge islands immedia ely no h and
wes .
Miscellaneous Obse a ions
No h egion
Nikolaj Hein ich emembe s ha in he sp ing o 1971 a la ge numbe o ca ibou d owned
ou on he sea ice wes o Sisimiu (Hols einsbo g, No h Region) when a ha d s o m hi he
egion b eaking up he ice and d owning he animals.
Cen al egion
An hon Egede, emembe s ha when he was a young boy, hey had o sail up o he No h
egion (Kange lussuaq a ea) o hun ca ibou because he e we e none a ound Nuuk. By he
1980’s, howe e , ca ibou could be seen nea he coas al owns o Napa soq and A ammik as
hey sailed no h, and so hey no longe had o sail all he way o Kange lussuaq o ca ch
ca ibou.
Job Heilmann obse ed ha ca ibou on Akia-No dlande ha e become no iceably ewe wi h
each yea o e he pas ew yea s, speci ically in he Na sa ssuaq Valley a head o Qugsuk
50
Fjo d (God håbs jo d), which is he a ea he ypically hun s. In Janua y 2007 he saw i s h ee
g oups o ca ibou (7, 5 & 4 animals) in he bay no h o Te e
Paamiu egion
The e we e many ca ibou a Qassi in he au umn o 2006.
Sou h egion: Semi-domes ic eindee
Ca ibou pa asi es
1952 semi-domes ic eindee came o God håbs jo d and b ough he wa ble ly pa asi es
wi h hem (Nikolaj Hein ich pe s comm).
Mo emen / Dispe sal in o No h egion
In 1971 Nikolaj Hein ich sho a emale wea ing a bell colla a he Iso og Ri e no h o he
own o Sisimiu in he No h egion. He assumed his was a semi-domes ic eindee ha
had come no h om he eindee he ding s a ion a I i ne a in God håbs jo d.
Mo emen / Dispe sal o e al eindee om I i ne a/God håbs jo d o Ame alik and u he
The e is abundan local knowledge obse ing he s eady sou hwa d mo emen o semi-
domes ic eindee om God håbs jo d down in o Ame alik, Bukse jo d and u he sou h
(Cuyle e . al. 2003). Fu he o hese a e he ollowing.
In he au umn o 1988 o 1989, An hon Egede sho a eindee cal wi h an ea ag [which
sugges s possibly a yea ling] a he mou h o Bukse jo d on he sou h sho e. This animal
could only ha e come om he eindee he ding s a ion a I i ne a in God håbs jo d, which
is a dis ance o ca. 135 km by land. [Ca ibou and eindee a e capable o co e ing sho
dis ances like his easily in one season (C. Cuyle ).]
In summe 2004 An hon sho an unusually la ge bull wi h ea ags and de o med an le s on
he a eas e n sho e o Tase ssua siai Lake, which is be ween Bukse jo d and Alángo dlia
Fjo d. An hon belie ed people had cas a ed he bull, i.e., es icles we e missing, which
sugges ed o him ha his animal came om he eindee he ding s a ion a I i ne a in
God håbs jo d. This s a ion closed pe manen ly in 1998, a e se e al yea s o neglec .
Muskox
Obse a ions
In summe 2006 a he head o God håbs jo d, An hon Egede saw se en muskox in he
Sa qa ssuaq alley, which sepa a es he Nuna a ssuaq and Akugdle ssuaq highlands. He
has pho o o hese.
51
Possible in oduc ion a Qeqe a sua siaa
Ka olus S e ani in 1984 Qeqe a sua siaa (Fiskenæsse ) almos ecei ed pe mission o
in oduce muskox o he a ea jus no h o F ede ikshåb Isblink. In 2006 he own o
Qeqe a sua siaa (Fiskenæsse ) has applied again o pe mission o ha e muskox in his
a ea.
Obse ed in Aus mannadalen?
An hon Egede says he has ne e hea d o o seen muskox in Aus mannadalen. The e a e,
howe e , bo h black and whi e sheep he e in 2006, and sugges ed ha someone may ha e
mis aken black sheep om a dis ance o muskox.
Lake d aining apidly (see Appendix 12)
Nikolaj epo ed ha he las ime he lake emp ied apidly was in 2002, and he expec s i o
emp y again in 2010. Jens Bje ge was a his same lake in la e Sep embe 2006 and obse ed
ha i looked simila o he Ma ch 2006 pho os in Appendix 12, and he e o e did no appea
o be illing-up as usual.
Ice Cap / glacial mel
An hon Egede epo ed ha p io o 2005 he always needed a boa o ge ac oss he
Aus mannadalen Ri e . In he summe s o 2005 and 2006 he could c oss he
Aus mannadalen Ri e in ubbe boo s, because he Ice Cap had eceded, which
subs an ially educed he amoun o wa e lowing in he i e .
An hon Egede epo ed ha by summe 2006, he alpine ice no h and eas o he
Tase ssua siai Lake (be ween Bukse jo d and Alángo dlia jo d) has eceded no iceably.
The alpine glacie s o he no h a e almos comple ely gone, while he ongue o he mini-
icecap ecedes wi h each yea .
Ka olus S e ani epo s ha i he e is any sh inkage o he F ede ikshåb Isblink i is no
eadily isible, al hough he hinks i is sh inking slowly.
Seal Hun ing
Ka olus S e ani epo s ha seal hun ing is good in he wa e s o he on o F ede ikshåb
Isblink
52
In o ma ion o local knowledge sou ces in e iewed
Jens Bje ge
Tel: (+299) 32 64 17 p / 32 14 08 wo k / 35 98 22 Bukse jo d
Bo n 1965
He has been employed a he Nuuk Hyd o Powe s a ion in Bukse jo d since 1989, and has
no ed ca ibou popula ion changes in he a eas moni o ed by he hyd o plan since hen.
Nikolaj Hein ich, KNAPK
Tel: (+299) 55 59 79 mobile / 32 49 86 home
Bo n 1938
O iginally om Qeqe a sua siaa a ea bu has li ed in Nuuk o some decades.
An hon Egede, KNAPK
Tel: (+299) 54 86 56 mobile
Bo n 1956
Family has hun ing cabin in he Agpaangui ilua Bay a ea, which is jus no h o he mou h
o Bukse jo d.
La s Ma hæussen, KNAPK
Bo n 1956
Tel: (+299) 24 17 88
Job Heilmann, KNAPK
Bo n 1965
He is a esiden o Nuuk esiden , and hun s in he Na ssa ssuaq alley o Qugsuk
Tel: (+299) 25 82 91 mobile / 32 48 85 home
Ka olus S e ani, KNAPK
Bo n 1948,
Qeqe a sua siaa esiden and hun s he e
Tel: (+299) 29 52 31
53
Appendix 2
Su ey s a is ical design
Al hough he public eques s unbiased es ima es o he “ ue” abundance o ca ibou p esen ,
all su eys a e plagued by inhe en biases and e o s, and mus adhe o wha is logis ically
possible wi hin he inancing a ailable.
Accu acy equa es o he popula ion size calcula ed being close o he ue alue. Bias, which
makes he calcula ed popula ion size depa om eali y, esul s in inaccu acy. The e can be
bias in you coun ing, sampling design o e en analysis. In o de o accoun o missed
animals we used he me hod desc ibed below. Ins ead o a pa ame ic a iance calcula ion
we ound a boo s apped con idence in e al. P ecision is he measu e o a ia ion in he
numbe s o ca ibou on each ansec . Poo p ecision can esul om sampling e o s, e.g., i
g oup size and dis ibu ion we e highly a iable wi hin a s a um. We a emp o inc ease
p ecision by ha ing as many sample uni s ( ansec s) as possible.
Inc easing he accu acy o ae ial coun s o ca ibou in wes e n G eenland
Mos ae ial su eys o animal abundance a e nega i ely biased because animals wi hin he
sample uni a e o e -looked by obse e s. Va ious double-coun me hods ha e been
de eloped o gene a e su ey speci ic co ec ion ac o s. Howe e , hese me hods equi e
ha obse a ions can be a ibu ed o speci ic indi iduals o g oups, which is no always
possible. We p esen a simple me hod o gene a ing a minimum es ima e o he numbe o
o e looked animals based on he o al numbe o animals seen by double obse e s on one
side o he ai c a . In addi ion, we desc ibe aspec s o su ey design ha ha e been used in
ca ibou su eys in wes G eenland o u he educe bias.
The ex en o which animals a e o e looked can be in luenced by many ac o s such as
ai c a design, lying speed, ligh heigh , ligh condi ions, ege a ion densi y, opog aphic
complexi y, and obse e expe ience / a igue (Caughley 1974; Samuel, Ga on, Schlegel &
Ca son 1987; Aas up & Mosbech 1993). Ea ly a emp s o co ec o his bias ocused on
de e mining a ac o om a se ies o con olled ials, and using his as a blanke co ec ion
ac o o all u he su eys (Caughley 1974; Caughley, Sinclai & Sco -Kemmis 1976,
Samuel e al. 1987; Pollock & Kendall 1987; Aas up & Mosbech 1993). Howe e , because
condi ions a y om su ey o su ey he e ha e been a emp s o de elop su ey-speci ic
co ec ion ac o s, especially using he double-coun me hodology (Pollock & Kendall 1987;
G aham & Bell 1989; Ri es , Cou u ie & C epeau 1995). In his p ocess, a leas one side o
he ai c a has wo obse e s. Using he numbe s o animals o g oups seen by he i s
obse e only, he second obse e only, o by bo h obse e s i is possible o apply cap u e-
ma k- ecap u e me hodology o calcula e he numbe o animals seen by nei he obse e
(Pollock & Kendall 1987). Howe e , his equi es ha obse a ions om he wo obse e s
can be a ibu ed speci ically o each animal o g oup obse ed. While such esul s may be

54
achie ed using double- ack ape eco de s (Ma sh & Sinclai 1989) o GPS / da a logge
echnology, he e a e always si ua ions whe eby echnology ails, is una ailable o canno be
applied p ac ically. We p esen an ex ension o he no mal double-coun s a is ics o
es ima e he co ec ion ac o o he p opo ion o animals unseen using he o al numbe o
animals coun ed by each obse e wi hin a gi en sample s ip. In many ways his is simila
o he aims o Caughley & G ice (1982), bu is designed o species ha occu a a highe
densi y.
Accoun ing o o e looked animals
In he cases whe e he e a e mo e han one obse e in one side o he ai c a and i is
possible o know which animals ha e been seen o no seen by each obse e i is possible o
es ima e he p obabili y ha a isible animal has been obse ed. The me hod is ho oughly
discussed in Pollock and Kendall (1987) and will be sligh ly elabo a ed upon he e. We will
use he ollowing nomencla u e simila o he one used by G aham and Bell (1989).
B
is he numbe o animals obse ed by bo h obse e s
S is he numbe o animals obse ed by he on sea obse e only.
S is he numbe o animals seen by he ea sea obse e only.
M
is he numbe o animals no seen by ei he obse e
p
is he p obabili y ha a isible animal is seen by he on sea obse e
p
is he p obabili y ha a isible animal is seen by he ea sea obse e
N is he o al numbe o isible animals in he ansec s
Then
NS S BM=+++
In a con en ional double-coun se up whe e animals o g oups can be indi idually
iden i ied o compa ison be ween obse e s he ollowing p ocedu e is o en used;
B can be es ima ed as ()
EB p p N=⋅⋅
The e o e ()
EB
N
p
p
=
⋅
In he same manne
S can be es ima ed as
() (1 )
ES p p N=⋅− ⋅
By subs i u ion
55
()
() (1 )
()
()(1 )
() () ()
(( ) ()) ()
()
() ( )
EB
ES p p
p
p
EB
ES p p
ES p EB EB p
ES EB p EB
EB
pEB ES
=⋅− ⋅
⋅
=− ⋅
⋅= − ⋅
+⋅=
=
+
In he same manne
p
can be es ima ed as
()
() ( )
EB
pEB ES
=
+
The eby he p opo ion o animals o e looked by bo h he on and he ea sea obse e is
(1 ) (1 )
p
p−⋅−
The e o e, he numbe o obse ed animals in he le side o he helicop e should be
mul iplied wi h
()()
11
1(1 )(1 ) ( )
1(1 )(1 )
B
SBS
BB
p
pBBSS
BS BS
+⋅+
==
−− ⋅− ⋅ + +
−− ⋅−
++
O equi alen ly
()()()()
ˆ()
()
B
SBS BSBS
NBSS BBS S B
+⋅+ +⋅+
=++ ⋅ =
⋅+ +
And, unde he assump ion ha he le and igh ea sea obse e s ha e he same
p obabili y o obse ing a isible animal, he igh side obse a ions should be mul iplied by
1
B
S
p
B
+
=
This me hod does no ake in o accoun he a iance in he es ima es o
p
and
p
. The
easies way o ind con idence in e als is o use a boo s ap p ocedu e (E on & Tibshi ani
1993).
The es ima es o
p
and
p
a e equi alen o he Pe e sen es ima e. Al hough his es ima e
is biased, he bias can be elimina ed using Chapman’s co ec ion.
(1)(1)
ˆ1
1
le
BS BS
NB
++⋅++
=−
+ (G aham and Bell 1989)
56
Then ˆ
N
SB+will be an es ima e o 1
p
Hence he es ima e o he numbe o animals on he igh side o he ai c a is
(1)(1)(1)
ˆ(1)( )
igh igh
BS BS B
NS BSB
++⋅++−+
=⋅
+⋅ +
Howe e , i we don’ know which speci ic animals o g oups ha e been seen by each
obse e bu ha e he o al numbe o animals obse ed wi hin each s ip o each obse e
hen we can calcula e maximum alues o and
p
p
I o each s ip i
i
is he numbe o animals seen by he obse e in he on sea
i
is he numbe o animals seen by he ea sea obse e
Then we can de ine
*
*
*
(,)
(0, )
(0, )
ii
i
ii
i
ii
i
BMin
SMax
SMax
=
=−
=−
∑
∑
∑
And obse e ha
*
*
*
(1 )
(1 )
BppN
Sp pN
Sp pN
≥⋅⋅
≤⋅− ⋅
≤⋅− ⋅
Leading o
*
*
*
*
*
*
(1 ) (1 )
B
Npp
B
Sp pNp p
p
p
B
pBS
≤
⋅
≤⋅−⋅≤⋅−⋅
⋅
≤
+
Simila ly
*
*
*
B
p
B
S
≤
+
57
Since we he e a e dealing wi h maximum alues o and
p
p he co esponding alues o
o e looked animals will be minimum alues. Acco dingly he co ec ed alues o he num-
be o animals seen will s ill be nega i ely biased.
Then he co ec ed alues o obse ed animals a e hen:
,, ,
max( , )
(1 (1 ) (1 ))
i le i le i igh
i
N
p
pp
=+
−− ⋅−
∑
Since we a e assuming ha o each ansec line he numbe seen by bo h obse e s is equal
o he lowes numbe seen, i would be easonable o assume ha he me hod wo ks bes o
small obse a ion numbe s and la ge obse a ion p obabili ies. This assump ion can be
es ed using a simula ion s udy. In his simula ion a numbe o i ual su eys we e se up,
each wi h 100 ansec s ips. Fo each assumed le el o de ec ion p obabili y (0.6; 0.7; 0.8;
0.9) a mean numbe o animals pe s ip was chosen be ween 1 and 10. The numbe o
animals on each ansec s ip was chosen as a Poisson andom a iable. The numbe o
animals seen by each obse e was hen chosen as a binomial andom a iable. The
esul ing es ima es o he sigh ing p obabili ies we e hen plo ed agains he mean numbe
o animals pe s ip. As expec ed (Figu e 12) he es ima ed de ec ion p obabili ies ended o
be oo high, pa icula ly when he numbe o animals pe s ip is high.
Table 4. Resul s o he ca ibou su eys conduc ed in ou egions o wes e n G eenland (2000-2001),
highligh ing he di e ences in sigh ing p obabili y by he double obse e s, he e ec ha co ec ing o
isibili y bias has on he es ima ed popula ion size and he e ec o educing lying heigh and s ip wid h.
A ea Kange lussuaq-
Sisimiu
Akia-Manii soq Ame alik Qeqe a sua -
siaa
Al i ude 100 m 17 m 17 m 17 m
S ip wid h 1,000 m 600 m 600 m 600 m
P 0.94 0.89 0.88 0.89
P 0.68 0.85 0.92 0.82
80% CI unco ec ed 36,000-52,800 35,000-51,700 23,300-37,900 2,800-7,900
80% CI co ec ed 42,700-61,500 37,000-55,800 24,700-39,300 2,900-8,200
Da a aken om Cuyle e al. 2002, 2003.
Reducing bias h ough su ey design
The o e iding conce n wi h he su ey design has been o minimise he numbe o
o e looked animals by lying close o he g ound and concen a ing he e o in a na ow
s ip close o he ai c a . In addi ion, obse e a igue was minimised by lying many sho
ansec s ips, a he han ewe longe s ips. I is possible o e alua e he e ec i eness o
he di e en expe imen al p o ocols by compa ing
p
and
p
be ween yea s. In addi ion, i
is ins uc i e o see how la ge a di e ence accoun ing o o e looked animals makes in each
case (Table 4).
64
Table 9. Random ansec s ae ial su ey Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou, Sou h egion, Ma ch 2006.
T ansec s a T ansec end
Di ec ion
lown T ansec
numbe La i ude Longi ude La i ude Longi ude
NE-SW 1 62º 56.89’ 50º 10.86’ 63º 00.40’ 50º 06.42’
NW-SE 3 63º 12.30’ 49º 44.23’ 63º 09.89’ 49º 37.02’
NW-SE 10 62º 57.61’ 50º 04.06’ 62º 55.81’ 49º 56.09’
SW-NE 12 63º 12.89’ 49º 41.72’ 63º 15.57’ 49º 35.00’
NE-SW 14 63º 15.47’ 49º 46.36’ 63º 17.15’ 49º 38.18’
NW-SE 26 63º 19.83’ 49º 46.79’ 63º 17.32’ 49º 39.73’
SW-NE 30 62º 56.35’ 49º 51.16’ 63º 00.22’ 49º 48.53’
NW-SE 59 63º 24.04’ 49º 36.67’ 63º 22.87’ 49º 28.02’
SSW-NNE 62 63º 05.32’ 50º 46.84’ 63º 09.34’ 50º 45.76’
SW-NE 64 62º 52.73’ 50º 06.93’ 62º 56.60’ 50º 04.29’
SSE-NNW 86 62º 39.78’ 50º 12.95’ 62º 36.03’ 50º 09.64’
SW-NE 90 63º 11.06’ 49º 54.53’ 63º 12.07’ 49º 45.84’
NW-SE 105 63º 29.69’ 49º 51.97’ 63.27.53’ 49º 44.31’
SW-NE 108 62º 40.44’ 50º 16.14’ 62º 42.84’ 50º 09.05’
SW-NE 126 63º 10.74’ 49º 32.93’ 63º 12.78’ 49º 25.17’
SSW-NNE 136 63º 02.39’ 49º 51.73’ 63º 06.42’ 49º 51.04’
SE-NW 140 63º 01.89’ 49º 42.16’ 62º 59.15’ 49º 35.60’
SW-NE 150 63º 20.24’ 50º 02.82’ 63º 21.74’ 49º 54.44’
S-N 174 63º 13.43’ 50º 12.20’ 63º 09.38’ 50º 12.00’
SE-NW 185 63º 31.05’ 50º 03.93’ 63º 27.47’ 49º 59.70’
NW-SE 199 62º 47.60’ 49º 56.17’ 62º 45.60’ 49º 48.48’
SSW-NNE 203 63º 09.42' 50º 01.98' 63º 13.37' 50º 00.09'
SW-NE 229 63º 04.40’ 50º 12.64’ 63º 06.10’ 50º 04.53’
SSE-NNW 300 62º 53.58’ 50º 02.95’ 62º 49.58’ 50º 01.54’
Table 10. Raw su ey da a on he d s uc u e o he Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou, Sou h egion, Ma ch 2006.
Da e
ddmmyy T ansec numbe / A ea
Flown G oup
Size Males
(Age > 1 yea ) Females
(Age > 1 yea ) Cal es
(Age < 1 yea )
14-Ma -06 105 3 1 1 1
14-Ma -06 59 2 1 1 0
14-Ma -06 59 2 0 1 1
14-Ma -06 174 7 6 1 0
14-Ma -06 90 7 0 4 3
14-Ma -06 90 4 4 0 0
14-Ma -06 26 1 1 0 0
14-Ma -06 26 3 2 1 0
14-Ma -06 26 6 6 0 0
14-Ma -06 26 5 0 5 0
14-Ma -06 26 6 0 6 0
14-Ma -06 12 9 3 4 2
14-Ma -06 12 3 3 0 0
15-Ma -06 86 3 3 0 0
15-Ma -06 A ea 1 0 0 0 0
15-Ma -06 A ea 2 3 3 0 0
15-Ma -06 A ea 2 4 4 0 0
15-Ma -06 A ea 2 11 11 0 0
15-Ma -06 A ea 2 14 11 1 2
15-Ma -06 A ea 2 9 9 0 0
15-Ma -06 A ea 2 6 6 0 0
15-Ma -06 A ea 2 4 1 3 0
15-Ma -06 A ea 3 (S side G æde jo d) 2 2 0 0
TOTALS 114 77 28 9

65
Appendix 5
Recommenda ions o u u e
Ae ial su ey me hods & design
S a i ica ion is necessa y. In 2006 bo h he Ame alik and Qeqe a sua siaa he ds e idenced
p onounced clumped dis ibu ions (ze o ca ibou on hal o mo e o he ansec s) and g oup
sizes we e ela i ely la ge. Thus he assump ion ha densi y was uni o m h oughou he
egion was alse. This makes he popula ion es ima es less accu a e. Figu es 7 & 8 could be
he guidelines o a u u e s a i ica ion.
Inc easing su ey co e age on u u e su eys would also p omo e accu acy. I inancially
possible mo e ansec s a e ecommended o inc ease he a ea co e age, as p esen co e age
is low (2%), which leads o unde es ima ing abundance.
To ensu e ha ca ibou can be spo ed and educe he bias o missed ca ibou, he me hods
desc ibed in his epo a e ecommended o u u e ae ial su eys.
The window design on he helicop e a ailable du ing his and las yea ’s su eys is no
op imal o side iewing (Fig. 13). The ea windows a e oo small and hose o wa d a e
clu e ed wi h ba ie s o ision. I possible a helicop e wi h windows be e sui ed o
iewing is desi able.
Figu e 13. Window design on helicop e cu en ly a ailable o ca ibou su eys; le and igh sides.
Mo e he ime pe iod o ae ial su eys o wa d o la e Feb ua y, o a leas o he i s week
in Ma ch. Al hough mid-Ma ch has been he pe iod chosen o su eys because, in addi ion
o g ea e day leng h, almos ull snow co e is expec ed, he onse o ea ly sp ing mel in
ecen yea s, i.e., 2005 and 2006, has caused pa ial o comple e loss o snow co e o e
much o he su eyed a eas. The esul is poo sigh abili y condi ions o ca ibou. The
pa chy snow co e o “sal & peppe ” backg ound o new snow makes de ec ion o ca ibou
p esen on ansec s di icul and con ibu es a nega i e bias o he es ima es.
Owing o ecen ea ly onse s o sp ing mel , we ecommend changes be made o hose
ansec s, which c oss o e jo ds. In he pas jo ds would be ozen o e wi h ice and
66
he eby u ilized by ca ibou, making hem alid su ey a eas in Ma ch. Howe e , jo ds a e
now ypically ice- ee and no u ilized by ca ibou du ing he su ey pe iod. We sugges
al e ing hese ansec s o u u e su eys. Aiming o al e su ey design as li le as possible,
wo po en ial changes include, sho ening he leng h o he a ec ed ansec s by emo ing
he jo d segmen , o , emo ing he dis ance ou o e jo d and applying his leng h o he
opposi e e es ial end o he same ansec . The ansec emains in place bu now all 7.5
km a e o e land.
Sigh ing ca ibou
Al hough seldom signi ican (P < 0.05), ewe ca ibou a e obse ed on he igh side o he
helicop e (Cuyle e al. 2002, 2003, 2005, his s udy), whe e only one obse e was p esen
ela i e o he le side o he helicop e , whe e wo obse e s independen ly coun ed
animals. We sugges ha a subconscious elemen o compe i ion exis ed be ween he wo
le side obse e s, since hei esul s will be compa ed agains each o he . This sha pened
hei concen a ion and mo e ca ibou p esen on ansec s we e spo ed. Compe i ion, eal o
imagina y, may be a me hod o u he educe he numbe o missed ca ibou on a su ey.
Fo de ails see Appendix 6 in Cuyle e al. (2005). To ob ain a double coun on selec ed
ansec s, a second helicop e lying simul aneously wi h i s and coun ing om highe
ligh al i ude han 15m heigh migh be employed. Al e na ely, ideo oo age on selec ed
ansec s may be use ul.
He d s uc u e coun
While zigzagging o he d s uc u e he p incipal obse e in he on le sea o he
helicop e has he dual asks o obse ing and w i ing down ca ibou sex and age. Eye
con ac wi h he animals is b oken while w i ing. This makes obse a ions o la ge g oups
di icul , because he animals a e in ligh and shi posi ions o en, and esul s in mo e ime
equi ed so ing ou indi iduals. We ecommend ha one o he back sea obse e s w i es
down he sex and age, as called ou by he on le sea obse e . Thus enabling he la e o
keep an eye on he animals a all imes, while hese a e unning and mixing in ligh .
A ea (km2) calcula ion
A eas gi en in his epo a e “ la ”, and do no e lec he opog aphical complici y o he
egions o he andom ansec s lown. I a GIS digi al e ain model could be c ea ed o he
egions and also he ansec s, hen his would inc ease he accu acy o he es ima ed
ca ibou densi ies, and allow be e calcula ion o he ac ual a ea “seen” (dead g ound could
be excluded). Popula ion es ima es would imp o e.
NDVI (No malized Di e ence Vege a ion Index: o g eenness index)
As wea he eco ds wi h ele ance o in e p e ing ca ibou ecundi y o cal su i al a e no
a ailable, s udy o emo e sensing NDVI da a would gi e an idea o wea he e ec on
ege a ion, and possibly allow compa isons o ege a ion be o e and a e clima e change
and co ela ions o ca ibou dynamics.
67
Logis ics Tips
Book he ime pe iod o helicop e use well in ad ance (minimum wo mon hs) and check
as o whe he Ai G eenland has o he plans o hei helicop e o pilo du ing he ime
pe iod o he in ended su ey. One yea , Ai G eenland neglec ed o in o m us ha hei
pilo was obliged o pa icipa e in an Ai G eenland pilo s aining cou se. This in e up ed
he su ey when wea he was op imal.
P io o akeo :
• Make su e he helicop e has a SATELLITE TELEPHONE. Fo sa e y easons
helicop e pilo s mus call-in by adio o Ai G eenland e e y hal -hou and gi e
hei posi ion. Since adio con ac is impossible a he 15 m ligh al i udes used
du ing he su ey, he pilo mus d op wha he’s doing and gain al i ude un il
con ac is made. This causes delays and can esul in was ed ime, i.e. ex a expense,
o he su eys. Wi h a sa elli e elephone he pilo can make con ac wi h Ai
G eenland ega dless o whe e we a e in he e ain.
• To pick ou ine i able disc epancies, check ansec “s a ” and “end” GPS poin s
keyed-in o he helicop e GPS by he pilo agains you own p in ou o he co ec
poin s. Co ec any e o s ound.
• Check om helicop e GPS ha all ansec s en e ed ha e leng h 7.5 km.
• Check ha all ansec s o be used ha day a e ac ually in helicop e GPS. The
numbe o da a poin s may exceed memo y o helicop e GPS. All ini ial ansec s
en e ed can be e ased o wan o a ailable o memo y and no wa ning will be gi en.
While lying:
• Always ca y you o iginal p in -ou o ansec “s a ” and “end” poin s wi h you in
helicop e o consul a ion in case he abo e s ill does no ca ch all human e o s.
• Re uelling is no always possible be ween 09:00 and 17:00, Monday o F iday,
speci ically a Sisimiu ai po , which can close ea ly, e.g. 14:00, and possibly also a
Manii soq. Telephone on he speci ic day o ob ain upda e on whe he e uelling is
possible and when.
• Re uelling in Kapisilli o Qeqe a sua siaa (Fiskenæsse ) is only possible i uel
ba els a e al eady he e, and pilo has pumping gea onboa d. Re uelling may ake
up o wo hou s i condi ions a e ad e se o equipmen unc ions poo ly.
• All ai po s a e closed o Sundays and holidays, unless you p ojec is willing o pay
o keep hem open.
• Helicop e pilo s a e p ohibi ed om lying mo e han 7 hou s pe day. Sa e y
conside a ions would sugges ha less han 7 hou s is be e when lying he low
slow ansec s used in he ca ibou su eys.
• B ing o ally non-sc a ch clo hs, which a e app o ed by Ai G eenland Helicop e
Cha e depa men o wipe condensa ion o he inside o he helicop e ’s on
window.
68
Appendix 6
Lis o e ms
Accu acy –how well a su ey es ima e o animal numbe s e lec s he ue popula ion size.
Annual – occu ing, o done e e y yea .
Bias – desc ibes how a he a e age alue o he es ima o is om he ue popula ion alue.
An unbiased es ima o cen es abou he ue alue o he popula ion. Bias is he ex-
en o which an es ima e is sys ema ically w ong. Bias dec eases he accu acy o a
su ey. In popula e ms, nega i e bias in su eys mo es he inal es ima e o below
he ue popula ion size and posi i e bias can mo e i abo e he ue popula ion size.
Body condi ion – pe aining o amoun o a p esen , i.e. plen y o a equals excellen body
condi ion.
Boo s apping – s a is ical ool o a i e a con idence in e als wi hou knowledge o he dis-
ibu ion o he pa ame e in ques ion.
Coe icien o Va iance (CV) – s a is ical e m o an index o p ecision ha is de i ed by di id-
ing he s anda d e o (SE) by he mean es ima ed abundance.
Con idence in e al – s a is ical e m o when he s anda d e o (SE) is combined wi h a
p obabili y (P) le el o yield con idence limi s (CL) and hei in e al, he con idence
in e al (CI). Fo example: a a P = 0.90 (α = 0.1) hen assuming no bias a 90% CI is
likely o con ain he ue popula ion size in 90% o su eys o he same ype and in en-
si y. NOTE: i is inco ec o s a e ha he e is a 90% chance ha he ac ual numbe o
ca ibou in a su ey a ea is wi hin he CI.
C i e ia – s anda ds se on which judgemen can be made, i.e. he sex o age o a ca ibou.
Densi y – he numbe o ca ibou pe squa e kilome e o land a ea.
Es ima e – a calcula ion as o he likely o app oxima e size o he ca ibou popula ion.
Fecundi y – ela ed o e ili y and is he po en ial le el o ep oduc i e pe o mance o a
popula ion, which is usually much g ea e han he ealised ep oduc ion ( e ili y).
Howe e , ecundi y and e ili y a e o en used inconsis en ly and e en in e changea-
bly in he li e a u e.
Fe ili y – o a popula ion is he numbe o li e bi hs o e a ime pe iod, usually a yea , e.g.
he numbe o li e bi hs pe emale, o he numbe o emale young bo n pe emale.
To calcula e e ili y we need o know he a e age li e size, a e age numbe o li e s
p oduced pe ime in e al (yea ) and he sex a io a bi h (Caughley 1977).
Fe ili y index – see also unde ec ui men . Ra io o cal es o emales o cal es o adul s.
He d – see also unde popula ion. G eenlandic ca ibou seldom o ne e agg ega e in o la ge
cohe en g oups. G oup size ypically s ays unde 4 animals, wi h g oups sca e ed
h oughou a la ge a ea.
He d s uc u e – his is he sex and age dis ibu ion o he animals wi hin a gi en popula-
ion/he d.
Logis ics – he ob aining, dis ibu ion, main enance and eplacemen o ield equipmen and
pe sonnel.
69
Managemen – e.g. wildli e managemen , which is he ac o manipula ing, di ec ing, con ol-
ling, egula ing and/o adminis a ing a wildli e esou ce and any numbe o he ac-
o s a ec ing ha wildli e esou ce.
Na u al mo ali y – all mo ali y due o ac o s o he han hun ing (disease, acciden , s a a-
ion, p eda ion, pa asi es, e c.).
Ne ec ui men – o a e o inc ease o he he d is de e mined by sub ac ing he adul mo -
ali y a e om he g oss ec ui men .
Popula ion – see also unde he d. All he animals o he same species li ing in a speci ic e-
gion, which do no mix wi h animals o he same species om o he egions, i.e. hey
a e ep oduc i ely isola ed. A popula ion is a demog aphic uni dis inc by i ue o
i s unique densi y, dis ibu ion, bi h & dea h a e, sex & age s uc u e, immig a ion &
emig a ion a es, and o he demog aphic pa ame e s.
Popula ion s a us – s a es a wildli e species’ occu ence and abundance, i.e. whe e and how
many.
Popula ion analysis – a emp s o de e mine he d s uc u e (sex & age) and he o ces con ol-
ling he composi ion o he popula ion/he d.
Popula ion dynamics – in any analysis o he d s uc u e and s a us he pa ame e s a e seldom
i e e s a ic, he e o e he e m popula ion dynamics.
P ecision – is a measu e o he quali y o he su ey es ima e o animal numbe , i.e. how
close you could expec he es ima e o app oxima e i s expec ed alue. P ecision e e s
o he a ia ion in epea ed measu emen o he same quan i y. P ecision is de e -
mined p ima ily by he a ia ion in he popula ion and he size o he sample. An in-
dica o o he p ecision o an es ima e is he con idence in e al.
Range – he ex en o he land a ea on which he ca ibou wande and g aze. The land a ea
used du ing o aging/cal ing/ u ing by he ca ibou, e.g. summe and win e anges.
The wo d is o en synonymous wi h pas u e o habi a ; howe e , he e m ange
b ings ege a ion o mind a he han o example opog aphy.
Rec ui men – see also unde e ili y index. The la e win e (Ma ch) alue o cal es/100
cows, which indica es he inc emen in ca ibou numbe o a speci ic popula ion/he d
om one yea o he nex .
Sigh abili y – he p obabili y o ac ually seeing a ca ibou p esen wi hin he s ip lown.
S anda d de ia ion (SD) – s anda d de ia ion is he squa e oo o he a iance.
S anda d e o (SE) – s anda d e o is he s anda d de ia ion (SD) di ided by he squa e oo
o sample size (n) o (n-1) i SD is calcula ed using n and no n-1. Sampling e o
would be ze o i he same numbe o ca ibou we e seen on each ansec lown.
S a a – (plu al o s a um) in his epo e e s o he di ision o he No h egion acco ding
o ca ibou densi y p esen .
Te ain – e e s o he land o g ound, usually in conjunc ion wi h a desc ip ion o opog a-
phy, e.g. ough e ain, moun ainous e ain, e c.
Va iance – s a is ical e m o he amoun o a ia ion in measu emen s. Va iance is he ex-
pec ed squa e de iance ega dless o he dis ibu ion. No e: a iance is dis ibu ion
independen , and is simply he expec ed squa e de ia ion.

70
Appendix 7
Names and loca ions o G eenland ca ibou popula ions & hei co e-
sponding hun ing egions
11
7 Paamiu egion
6 Paamiu egion
3 Cen al egion
4 Sou h egion
5 Sou h egion
8
2 No h egion
1
Qeqe a sua siaa
I i uu
Ne ia
Qassi
Ame alik
Akia-Manii soq
Kange lussuaq-Sisimiu
Na e naq
Nuussuaq Hal ø
B
10 P udhoe Land
10 Ingle ield Land
9
Ol ik
Fjo d
A
G eenland
A
B
Figu e 14. Names and loca ions o G eenland ca ibou / e al eindee popula ions in 2006, wi h hei
co esponding hun ing egion numbe and whe e applicable a egion name.
P io o 1999, he G eenland ca ibou on he wes coas we e ha es ed and managed as one
con inuous popula ion. New assessmen and da a allowed he de ini ion o speci ic
popula ions based on geog aphic egions (Linnell e al. 1999, 2001; Cuyle e al. 2002, 2003,
2004). The complex geog aphy o he wes coas c ea es opog aphical ba ie s o il e s,
which make la ge-scale exchange o indi iduals unlikely along a no h-sou h axis (Linnell e
al. 2000). Al hough no impossible, no h-sou h dispe sion be ween egions has ne e been
suppo ed by sa elli e eleme y (Cuyle & Linnell 2004) and sugges ed by locals only once
71
(Appendix 1). Documen ed seasonal mo emen s, when hese occu , a e on an eas –wes axis
(Vibe 1967, S andgaa d e al. 1983, Cuyle & Linnell 2004). Fu he , gene ic analysis using
mic osa elli es con i med ela i ely dis inc he ds coinciding o geog aphic egions (Jepsen
1999, e al. 2002). The e o e beginning in 1999, o acili a e popula ion speci ic ha es
managemen and epo ing (e.g., quo as, season leng h, e c. o he sex/age and body
condi ion o animals ha es ed espec i ely) he geog aphical egions co esponding o
single popula ions we e assigned hun ing a ea numbe s and ypically names.
72
Appendix 8
G eenland ca ibou popula ion es ima es & minimum coun s
Table 11. Win e popula ion es ima es and minimum coun s o wild ca ibou / eindee in G eenland. All popula ion size es ima es a e app oxima e1.
Ca ibou /
Reindee
Popula ion
Region
No.
Region
Name
1977
/78
1993 1994 1995 1996 1999 2000 2001 2002 2005 2006
Ingle ield Land 10 - - - 100 2,260 - - - - -
Ol ik Fjo d 9 . - - - 38* - - -
Nuussuaq Hal ø 8 - 170 - 400 400 1,164* - -
Na e naq 1 Na e naq 100 80 271 - - - -
Kange lussuaq-
Sisimiu
2 No h 17,900 3,788 7,727 6,196 10,869 51,600*
*
- - 90,464*
*
-
Akia-Manii soq 3 Cen al 5,300 3,506 3,080 6,408 6,806 - 46,236 - 35,807 -
Ame alik 4 Sou h - - 31,880 -
- 9,680
Qeqe a sua siaa 5 Sou h - 1,341 1,458 4,553 4,458+ - 5,372 - - 5,224
Qassi 6 Paamiu - - - 196* - - -
Ne ia 7 Paamiu - - 181 407 1,600
(332*)
- -
To al
Es ima e o
G eenland
- - -
9,000
(6865–
10559)
13,000
(10105–
15530)
18,000
(14761–
21558)
ca. 22,000
(19581–
25027)
- ca.
140,0002
- -
ca.
140,0003
1Es ima es om 2000 o 2006 we e ob ained using su ey me hods and design unlike hose employed om 1993 o 1999. The e o e he d size di e ences be ween hese wo ime pe iods a e no
assumed eadily compa able.
2 Rough sum o popula ion es ima es om 1999, 2000 and 2001.
3 Rough sum o popula ion es ima es om 2005 and 2006.
*Minimum coun s.
**Kange lussuaq-Sisimiu es ima es om 2000 and 2005 we e ob ained using somewha dissimila me hods, i.e. he 2005 su ey educed ligh al i ude by 85 m, speed by ca. 45 km/h , and s ip
wid h by 400 m. The wo es ima es a e he e o e no assumed eadily compa able and should no be in e p e ed as indica ing popula ion end o his he d.
Sou ces: Ydemann & Pede sen 1999, Linnell e al. 1999, Landa e al. 2000, Cuyle e al. 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and cu en s udy.
73
Table 12. Indices o p ecision, s anda d e o and coe icien o a iance, o he su eys comple ed since 2000.
Yea Mean es ima e o
Abundance & (CI) Wid h
1 Wid h
2 Con idence
In e al (CI) Pe cen ile S anda d E o
(SE) Coe icien o
Va iance (CV)
NORTH Region
Kange lussuaq-Sisimiu
2000 51,600 (40,400 – 62,800) 11,200 11,200 90% 1.645 6808.511 0.131948
2005 90,464 (70,276 – 113,614) 20,188 23,149 90% 1.645 13172.34 0.145609
CENTRAL Region
Akia-Manii soq
2001 46,236 (37,115 – 55,808) 9,121 9,572 80% 1.28 7301.953 0.157928
2005 35,807 (27,474 – 44,720) 8,333 8,913 90% 1.645 5241.945 0.146394
SOUTH Region
Ame alik
2001 31,880 (24,721 – 39,305) 7,159 7,425 80% 1.28 5696.875 0.178697
2006 9,680 (6,515 – 13,147) 3,165 3,467 90% 1.645 2015.805 0.208244
SOUTH Region
Qeqe a sua siaa
2001 5,372 (2,864– 8,244) 2,508 2,872 80% 1.28 2101.563 0.391207
2006 5,224 (2,831 – 7,881) 2,393 2,657 90% 1.645 1534.954 0.293827
SOUTH Region
Combined Ame alik + Qeqe a sua siaa
2001
2006 14,871 (11,689– 18,231) 3,182 3,360 90% 1.645 1988.45 0.133713