2012 status of two West Greenland caribou populations 1) Ameralik, 2) Qeqertarsuatsiaat. Technical Report No. 98

1
2012 s a us o wo Wes
G eenland ca ibou popula ions
1) Ame alik,
2) Qeqe a sua siaa
Technical Repo No. 98, 2016
G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces
2
Ti le: 2012 s a us o wo Wes G eenland ca ibou popula ions
1) Ame alik, 2) Qeqe a sua siaa
Au ho s: Ch is ine Cuyle 1, Josephine Nymand1, Aslak Jensen2 and
Hans Mølgaa d3
1G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces, P.O. Box 570,
3900–Nuuk, G eenland
2Sol iaq 15, lej 203, 3900–Nuuk, G eenland;
3P.O. Box 122, 3911–Sisimiu , G eenland
Se ies: Technical Repo No. 98, 2016
Da e o publica ion: 20 June, 2016
Publishe : G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces
Financial suppo : G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces
Co e pho o: Ch is ine Cuyle : Nine ca ibou, G æde jo d, 08 Ma ch 2012
ISBN: 87-91214-75-0
ISSN: 1397-3657
EAN: 9788791214752
Ci ed as: Cuyle , C., Nymand, J., Jensen, A. & Mølgaa d, H. 2016.
2012 s a us o wo Wes G eenland ca ibou popula ions 1)
Ame alik, 2) Qeqe a sua siaa . G eenland Ins i u e o
Na u al Resou ces. Technical Repo No. 98. 179 pp. (Pa
I: 1-98; Pa II: 99-179).
Con ac add ess: The epo is only a ailable in elec onic o ma . PDF- ile
copies can be downloaded a his homepage:
h p://www.na u .gl/publika ione / ekniske appo e
I is possible o ob ain a p in ed copy o he epo he e:
G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces
P.O. Box 570
DK-3900 Nuuk
G eenland
Phone: +299 36 12 00
Fax: +299 36 12
E-mail: in o@na u .gl
www.na u .gl
3
2012 s a us o wo Wes
G eenland ca ibou popula ions
1) Ame alik,
2) Qeqe a sua siaa
By
Ch is ine Cuyle 1, Josephine Nymand1, Aslak Jensen2 & Hans Mølgaa d3
1G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces, P.O. Box 570, 3900–Nuuk, G eenland
2Sol iaq 15, lej 203, 3900–Nuuk, G eenland
3P.O. Box 122, 3911–Sisimiu , G eenland
Technical Repo No. 98, 2016
G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces
4
[Emp y page]
5
Table o Con en s
Summa y...................................................................................... 7
Resume (Danish) ........................................................................ 9
Eqikkaaneq (G eenlandic) ...................................................... 11
In oduc ion .............................................................................. 15
Me hods ..................................................................................... 21
Resul s ....................................................................................... 28
Discussion ................................................................................. 34
Acknowledgemen s .................................................................. 48
Li e a u e ci ed ......................................................................... 49
Pa I, Figu es
1.
Ranges o Ame alik and Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou popula ions
Page 15
2.
The Sou h egion jo d names used o delinea e a eas o ca ibou abundance
Page 17
3.
Dese ed hamle Lille Na saq 28 Oc obe 1998
Page 18
4.
Line numbe s wi h A & B end poin s o no heas e n Sou h egion
Page 24
5.
Line numbe s wi h A & B end poin s o no h-cen al Sou h egion
Page 24
6.
Line numbe s wi h A & B end poin s o sou h-cen al Sou h egion
Page 25
7.
Line numbe s wi h A & B end poin s o sou he n mos Sou h egion
Page 25
8.
Well an le ed cow and cal o he Ame alik popula ion
Page 29
9.
Dis ibu ion and loca ion o he 1104 ca ibou obse a ions on ansec lines
Page 31
10.
Six ca ibou including wo cal es a e ha dly isible
Page 32
11.
Fe al ewe s ands wi h he almos yea ling male lamb
Page 33
12.
Place name de ails aken om Cuyle e al. (2003)
Page 62
13.
Places names and ou e sailed 28 Oc obe 1998
Page 63
14.
Numbe ed ca ibou obse a ions….28 Oc obe 1998
Page 65
15.
Place names ele an o he ca ibou ca cass loca ions sou h o Nuuk, 1998
Page 72
16.
Ca ibou ca cass loca ions sou h o Nuuk in Ap il-May 1998
Page 72
17.
Examples o he GPS posi ions p o ided o Ai Cha e pilo s
Page 94
Pa I, Tables
1.
Recen la e win e popula ion pa ame e s, Ame alik & Qeqe a sua siaa
Page 16
2.
Sou h egion, 1-12 Ma ch 2012 ca ibou su ey, summa y s a is ics
Page 27
3.
Sou h egion, 1-12 Ma ch 2012 ca ibou su ey, es ima es and densi ies
Page 28
4.
Demog aphic o Ame alik ca ibou, Sou h egion Ma ch 2012
Page 29
5.
Ca ibou minimum coun & demog aphics 28 Oc obe 1998
Page 65
6.
Raw da a o numbe ed ca ibou loca ions…28 Oc obe 1998
Page 67
7.
Raw da a on ca ibou ca casses loca ed in Ap il-May 1998
Page 73
8.
Sou h egion ca ibou su ey de ails o ansec lines lown 1-12 Ma ch 2012
Page 76

6
9.
Ame alik ca ibou popula ion aw da a om ansec line su ey Ma ch 2012
Page 78
10.
Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou popula ion aw da a om ansec line su ey
Ma ch 2012
Page 83
11.
Ame alik ca ibou su ey aw da a o demog aphics and an le possession
Page 87
12.
Popula ion es ima es & minimum coun s o wild ca ibou in G eenland
Page 98
Pa I, Appendices
1.
2016 P o essional hun e knowledge o Sou h egion, Wes G eenland
Page 52
2.
Place names
Page 62
3.
1998 Field Repo : Oc obe minimum coun Ame alik ca ibou
Page 63
4.
1998 Field Repo : Ca ibou win e mo ali y, nea Nuuk a ea
Page 71
5.
T ansec line de ails: Ma ch 2012 ae ial ca ibou su ey
Page 76
6.
Raw da a om Ma ch 2012 ae ial ca ibou su ey by helicop e
Page 78
7.
Raw da a 12 Ma ch 2012 demog aphics & an le s Ame alik ca ibou
Page 87
8.
Recommenda ions o imp o ing u u e su eys
Page 91
9.
2016 Regula ions o ca ibou hun ing and subsequen sale o mea
Page 95
10.
Pas & ecen G eenland ca ibou popula ion es ima es & minimum coun s
Page 98
Pa II, Appendices - Pho og aphic eco d*
Page 99
11.
Ame alik ansec line snow condi ions & opog aphy
Page 100
12.
Qeqe a sua siaa (QEQ) ansec line snow condi ions & opog aphy
Page 125
13.
Ca ibou eeding c a e s in snow, 1-12 Ma ch 2016
Page 147
14.
Sun in one’s eyes & og/icing o helicop e windows 2012
Page 163
15.
How di icul is i o spo ca ibou? (o iginal >6MB pho os)
Page 166
*All pho os p esen ed (plus hund eds mo e) a e a ailable in hei o iginal >6MB size a he
G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces
F:/40-59/PaFu/42/Landpa edy /24 Ae ial Su ey/2012 Sou h/Pho o DATA_Sou h Su ey 2012
7
Summa y
Wes G eenland (sou h o 69°N) has six ca ibou egions ha in o al con ain
eigh sub-popula ions. This epo p esen s new in o ma ion abou he Sou h
egion, which is di ided in o wo sub-popula ions, Ame alik and
Qeqe a sua siaa . These we e las su eyed in Ma ch 2006. Gi en unlimi ed
ha es s, long au umn hun ing season as well as a win e hun ing season, a
new es ima e o abundance was o e due. The Ma ch 2012 helicop e su ey
used di e en me hods and analysis han hose implemen ed in he 2001 and
2006 su eys. Line dis ance sampling was employed. Ano he change was
ha he bounda y be ween Ame alik and Qeqe a sua siaa was e u ned o
he Se milik jo d and Se meq glacie .
The o e all abundance o he en i e Sou h egion (Ame alik and
Qeqe a sua siaa combined) in Ma ch 2012 was app oxima ely 16,500
ca ibou, and o e all ca ibou densi y was abou 1.3/km2. Al hough he la e is
almos iden ical o he ecommended s ocking densi y o 1.2/km2, he densi y
speci ic o he Ame alik popula ion exceeded his.
Indi idually, he Ame alik popula ion was es ima ed o ca. 11,700 ca ibou (90
% CI: 8,500 – 16,000; CV = 0.18), wi h a densi y o 1.7 ca ibou/km2. Cal (age
9-10 mon hs) pe cen age was 28.2 %, cal ec ui men was 63.5 cal es pe 100
cows. The sex a io was ca. 62 bulls pe 100 cows. The Qeqe a sua siaa
popula ion is es ima ed o ca. 4,800 ca ibou (90 % CI: 3,400 – 6,800; CV = 0.21),
wi h a densi y o 0.8 ca ibou/km2. The 2012 Ame alik popula ion es ima e is
likely an unde es ima e because obse e bias was no add essed. Fu he he
2012 es ima e may be low in compa ison wi h he 2006 popula ion es ima e,
since he 2006 su ey was less accu a e bu a ained a simila numbe .
Al e ed and a ypical Ame alik ca ibou dis ibu ion and choice o ele a ion
s ongly sugges ed ha he win e ha es has a dis u bance impac on
ca ibou beha io . In u u e he e should be an app op ia e hia us be ween he
cessa ion o ha es and he ini ia ion o moni o ing. The p esen si ua ion
necessi a es a p e-su ey econnaissance o co ec alloca ion o su ey e o .
New o his su ey we e i e c ippled ca ibou. We suspec he immedia ely
p eceding win e hun ing season (end da e 29 Feb 2012) was esponsible. We
obse ed no muskoxen; howe e i e e al sheep we e seen.
8
The changed su ey me hods could ha e con ounded a discussion o
popula ion end since 2006. Howe e , he 2006 and 2012 es ima es o
abundance a e simila and a e wi hin each o he ’s con idence in e als.
Ame alik and Qeqe a sua siaa popula ion abundance appea s o ha e been
ela i ely s able o ha pe iod. We sugges he ca ibou ha es in
combina ion wi h con inued high cal p oduc ion is esponsible o
main aining he popula ion size close o he Maximum Sus ainable Yield
(MSY) le el. Gi en he 2012 high cal ec ui men , we ad ise a con inued high
au umn ha es p essu e simila o ecen le els, speci ically in he ligh o he
ela i ely high 2012 densi y o Ame alik. Al hough he Sou h egion aken as
a whole had a densi y close o he ecommended s ocking densi y (1.2/km2),
Ame alik densi y was ca. 2/km2 and could ise. In he in e es s o ca ibou
conse a ion, any g ow h in Ame alik popula ion size causing high densi y
(e.g., 4/km2 which occu ed in 2001) mus be p e en ed, because i would
nega i ely impac ege a ion, which al eady ecei ed o e g azing 16-20 yea s
ago. Conse ing he ca ibou’s o age ege a ion is ou bes me hod o ensu e
heal hy ca ibou and enable a good annual cal p oduc ion and su i al.
Al hough ca ibou numbe s in he Sou h egion o he pe iod 2006-2012 we e
seemingly s able, he e is no eason o be complacen . Hun e knowledge in
2016 sugges s ha ca ibou abundance has no declined since 2012, bu may
ac ually be ising. I ue his would h ea en o age ege a ion and ul ima ely
ca ibou numbe s. Fu he , he e a e some disquie ing an h opogenic changes
o he ca ibou en i onmen since 2012. These include al e ed ca ibou habi a
use (dis ibu ion), demog aphics, c ippling loss and new ends in hun ing.
These a e impo an o conside since expec ed global wa ming will be an
addi ional change ha can b ing en i onmen al ins abili y wi h nega i e
consequences o ca ibou abundance.
We sugges ha he comme cial ac i i ies di ec ly and indi ec ly in ol ed
wi h he ha es ing o ca ibou now make a hi he o un ecognized subs an ial
con ibu ion o he G eenland economy ha a exceeds he mea ’s ma ke
alue. Meanwhile, he ca ibou popula ions in Wes G eenland, including
Ame alik and Qeqe a sua siaa , a e basically disc e e popula ions inhabi ing
small ‘islands’ o land sandwiched be ween he Da is S ai and he
G eenland Ice Cap. This makes he ca ibou ulne able because hese ‘islands’
o e nowhe e- o- un- o, i and when, changes come, be hese clima e (e.g.,
d ough , se e e win e ) o o he ac o s (e.g., disease ou b eaks,
an h opogenic impac s). Fo wildli e managemen o ha e any chance o
9
mi iga ing u u e change(s), moni o ing is necessa y. Un o una ely lack o
inancial esou ces has suspended ca ibou su eys un il u he no ice.
Meanwhile he magni ude o he ha es is unknown, poaching may be
subs an ial and win e hun ing (which can inc ease mo ali y isk) is allowed,
albei on a es ic ed basis a p esen . Wi h clima e change lu king, we suspec
he chances o ca as ophic wea he will ise. The u u e o ou ca ibou
popula ions, and hence he signi ican economic bene i s ob ained he eo ,
could be in jeopa dy. Wi hou moni o ing da a he cu en si ua ion is
unknown and scien i ically ounded ecommenda ions o he sus ainable use
o ca ibou become impossible.
Resume (Danish)
Ves g ønland (syd o 69°N) ha seks s o e egione med ensdy , de
ilsammen ha å e unde bes ande. Denne appo p æsen e e den senes e
in o ma ion om Syd egionen, som e del i o unde bes ande, Ame alik og
Qeqe a sua siaa . De o egående unde søgelse he ble o e age i ma s
2006. Som ølge a ubeg ænse jag , en lang jag sæson i e e å e så el som i
in e sæsonen, a de på ide med e ny es ima a bes anden.
Helikop e unde søgelsen a ma s 2012 an end e and e me ode og analyse
end i unde søgelse ne a 2001 og 2006. He an end es line dis ance sampling.
En anden ænd ing a , a g ænsen mellem Ame alik og Qeqe a sua siaa e
ble e ly e ilbage il Se milik jo den og Se meq gle sje en.
Den samlede bes and i hele Syd egionen (Ame alik og Qeqe a sua siaa ) a
ci ka 16.500 ensdy i ma s 2012, og den gene elle bes ands æ hed o
ensdy a ci ka 1,3 ensdy /km2. Sel om sids næ n e a næs en iden isk
med den anbe alede bes ands æ hed på 1,2 ensdy /km2, o e sk ed
Ame alik-bes anden denne.
Isole e se ble Ame alik-bes anden es ime e il ci ka 11.700 ensdy (90%
CI: 8.500 – 16.000; CV = 0,18) med en bes ands æ hed på 1,7 ensdy /km2.
Andelen a kal e (9-10 månede ) a 28,2%; en ek u e ing på 63,5 kal e pe
100 køe . Køns o delingen a ci ka 62 y e pe 100 køe . Qeqe a sua siaa -
bes anden e es ime e il ci ka 4.800 ensdy (90% CI: 3.400 – 6.800; CV = 0,21)
med en bes ands æ hed på 0,8 ensdy /km2. Es ima e a Ame alik-bes anden
i 2012 e sandsynlig is e unde es ima , da bias ikke ble o e eje i
o bindelse med obse a ione ne. Yde me e e es ima e a 2012 mulig is
16
Al hough bo h popula ions ha e been su eyed o abundance since he ea ly
1990’s, i was i s in 2001 and again in 2006, ha helicop e and sho leng h
andom ansec lines we e used. The 2001 su ey indica ed ha he densi y
o he Ame alik popula ion was 3.7 ca ibou pe km2, which was well o e he
ecommended s ocking capaci y o 1.2 ca ibou pe km2. In con as , he
Qeqe a sua siaa popula ion was app oxima ely equal o he ecommended
s ocking capaci y. Following he 2001 su ey, ha es managemen ocused
on educing Ame alik abundance o emedy o e s ocking and obse ed ange
deg ada ion due o o e g azing. The 2006 su ey indica ed ha bo h
popula ions we e wi hin he ad ised s ocking densi y.
Fo se e al decades now, he Ame alik popula ion has been a success ul
gene ic mix o indigenous ca ibou (Rangi e a andus g oenlandicus) and e al
semi-domes ic eindee (Rangi e a andus a andus) (Jepsen 1999, Jepsen e al.
2002). The mixing likely began in he la e 1970’s (Cuyle 1999). A he ime o
his 2012 su ey he Qeqe a sua siaa popula ion may also ha e become a
gene ic mix, owing o he con inued sou hwa d mo emen in o he
Qeqe a sua siaa egion by Ame alik animals (Cuyle e al. 2003, 2006; Local
Knowledge Appendix 1).
Table 1. Recen la e win e popula ion pa ame e s o he Ame alik and Qeqe a sua siaa popula ions
in Wes G eenland (Cuyle e al. 2003, 2007; Ydemann & Pede sen 1999).
Pa ame e
1993
1996
2001
2006
Ame alik ca ibou popula ion – SOUTH egion (4)
Popula ion size es ima e
1,200
4,500
31,880
9,680
Mean g oup size  SD
3.9
3.5
4.3  3.65 SD
5.4  3.06 SD
Max g oup size
28
15
Densi y pe sq km
0.2
0.9
3.7
1.16
Cal pe cen age
3.1 %
16.2 %
17.8 %
24.8 %
Rec ui men (Cal / 100 Cow)
-
-
40
59.8
Sex a io (Bull > 1 yea / 100 Cow)
-
-
83
81
Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou popula ion – SOUTH egion (5)
Popula ion size es ima e
181
-
5,372
5,224
Mean g oup size SD
1.9
-
2.9  1.29 SD
5.2  3.28 SD
Max g oup size
6
14
Densi y pe sq km
0.03
-
1.1
1.02
Cal pe cen age
14.8
-
26.2 %
8 %
Rec ui men (Cal / 100 Cow)
-
-
61
32
Sex a io (Bull > 1 yea / 100 Cow)
-
-
72
275

17
Backg ound - Ame alik popula ion
The Ame alik ca ibou popula ion inhabi s he a ea be ween God håbs jo d
and Se milik jo d in hun ing a ea 4 (de ails in Cuyle e al. 2007). Ea lie
ixed-wing, high al i ude, high speed su eys o 1993 and 1996 esul ed in la e
win e p e-cal ing popula ion es ima es o ca. 1,200 and 4,500 espec i ely
(Ydemann D. & Pede sen C.B. 1999). Bo h we e unde es ima es (Cuyle 2007).
A e a hia us o ou yea s, su eying o ca ibou abundance in Wes
G eenland began again in 2000 using changed me hods, which included low
al i ude low speed helicop e s. The numbe o ca ibou obse ed on he new
su eys a exceeded any p e ious su ey.
Figu e 2. The Sou h egion jo d names used o delinea e a eas o ca ibou abundance. Fu he place
names a e in Appendix 2. Ele a ions o e 200m a e shown in ligh yellow, below 200m a e g een.
The 2001 Ame alik su ey ga e a la e win e p e-cal ing popula ion es ima e
o ca. 31,880 Ame alik ca ibou (Table 1). This was 7- old g ea e han he 1996
ixed-wing es ima e, and ga e almos 4x he ecommended s ocking densi y,
while cal pe cen age was low o a popula ion wi hou p eda ion. When
ca ibou densi y is oo high and ood esou ces limi ed in a-speci ic
compe i ion may ha e nega i e impac s on body condi ion and subsequen ly
Ice Cap
Nuna a suaq
Aus mannadalen
G eenland
Is jo d
Ame agdla
Nuaja kua
Bukse jo d Hyd o Plan
F ede ikshåb Isblink
S o ø
Se meq
Kapisilli
Bjø nesund
Fiskenæsse
Qeqe a sua siaa
Ame alik jo d
God håbs jo d
Bjø neø
Nuuk
Se milik jo d
Bukse jo d
G æde jo d
Alángo dlia jo d
Qeqe a sua siaa jo d
100
kilome e s
050
18
ep oduc ion. Local hun e s had obse ed a eas whe e o e g azing and
ampling o he ege a ion had occu ed by 2001 (Cuyle e al. 2003). Wildli e
managemen immedia ely inc eased quo as and season leng h wi h he goal
o educe popula ion size and densi y, which would lowe g azing p essu e
and ampling o he ange and hus pe haps aise o age quan i y and
quali y. A success ul educ ion in ca ibou numbe was expec ed o be
e lec ed in highe cal pe cen ages and la e-win e cal ec ui men (cal es
pe 100 cows) on subsequen su eys. Inc eased hun e ha es s be ween 2001
and 2006 success ully b ough down he size o he Ame alik ca ibou
popula ion (Cuyle e al. 2007). The 2006 su ey esul ed in a la e win e p e-
cal ing popula ion es ima e o ca. 9,680 ca ibou, and as expec ed, he cal
pe cen age and la e-win e cal ec ui men ose subs an ially. The la e
sugges ed ha a sui able win e s ocking densi y was achie ed by he ime o
he Ma ch 2006 su ey.
Figu e 3. Dese ed hamle Lille Na saq 28 Oc obe 1998: op c. 52 ca ibou wi h seasho e in o eg ound,
bo om zoom c. 18. An addi ional 29 we e ou side he pho o ame o o al o 81 ca ibou. (Pho o
Aqqalu Rosing-As id).
19
Since he 1990’s hun e s ha e obse ed no only ca ibou abundance changes,
bu also dis ibu ion pa e ns (Cuyle e al. 2003). In 1998 ca ibou seemed
“e e ywhe e” sou h o Nuuk (Appendix 3, 4). Sailing o se e al hou s along
a 34 km s e ch o sho eline be ween Ame alik Fjo d and Bukse jo d (Fig. 2,
Appendix 3) 955 ca ibou we e obse ed. The majo i y appea ed o igno e he
boa , e.g., hose a abandoned Lille Na saq con inued o aging (Fig. 3). Cal
p oduc ion was high, densi y huge and maximum g oup size 111. While
g oups numbe ing 300-500 ca ibou we e seen in Eqalui ilo dli and
P æs e jo d alleys (Cuyle e al. 2003). Ca ibou could be sho om he
beaches, and we e ela i ely common in Nuuk’s nea by Kobbe jo d. A he
ime ha es quo as had been ex emely limi ed o se e al yea s. In sha p
con as , by 2012 la ge coas al agg ega ions we e a hing o he pas o
God håbs jo d, Ame alik, Bukse jo d, Alángo dlia and Se milik jo ds.
Meanwhile modes agg ega ions we e obse ed inc easingly u he sou h,
speci ically whe e ca ibou we e once sca ce, e.g., G æde jo d, Fiskenæsse
jo d, Bjø nesund and no h o he F ede ikshåb Isblink (Fig. 3). De ailed
backg ound a ailable in Cuyle e al. (2003).
Backg ound - Qeqe a sua siaa popula ion
Less is known abou he indigenous Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou ha occu
be ween Se milik jo d and F ede ikshåb Isblink in hun ing a ea 5. The 1993
su ey ( ixed-wing, high al i ude, high speed) esul ed in an ex emely low
p e-cal ing popula ion es ima e o c. 181 ca ibou. This was an unde es ima e
(Cuyle , 2007). A simila su ey in 1995 sugges ed 500 ca ibou. A 1996 su ey
had no esul o Qeqe a sua siaa . The la e win e 2001 and 2006 su eys
(helicop e , low al i ude, and low speed) esul ed in p e-cal ing popula ion
es ima es o ca. 5,372 and 5,224 ca ibou espec i ely. S ocking densi y was ca.
1.1 ca ibou pe km2, which ma ched he ad ised s ocking capaci y, and he
obse ed cal pe cen age and la e win e ec ui men we e high in 2001.
Howe e , he poo cal pe cen age and ec ui men in 2006 we e unexpec ed.
The coinciden and ex emely skewed sex a io sugges s he possibili y o cow
biased ha es ing o e he in e ening pe iod. De ailed his o ical backg ound
o he Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou can be ound in Cuyle e al. (2003).
Pas ha es managemen
P io o and including 1992, ca ibou hun ing in all o G eenland was
un egula ed. The 1993 ae ial su ey es ima ed a low numbe o o al ca ibou
in Wes G eenland, ca. 9,000. P o essional hun e s denied he 1993 esul
ehemen ly. By 2000-2001 he es ima e o ca. 9,000 was p o en an
20
unde es ima e caused by inapp op ia e su ey me hods (Cuyle e al. 2002,
2003). S ill, in 1993 wildli e managemen p ohibi ed ca ibou hun ing o wo
yea s (1993-1994) h oughou G eenland. In 1995 managemen ini ia ed,
ha es quo as, seasons and designa ed pe mi ypes (p o essional,
ec ea ional). Howe e , ha es quo as we e meage and emained so in o
1999. To al annual ca ibou pe mi s o all o Wes G eenland s a ed a abou
2000 ca ibou in 1995 and ose o abou 4000 by 1999. Fo he Sou h egion his
si ua ion i s changed in he au umn hun ing season o 2001, as a esul o he
2001 helicop e su ey’s la ge popula ion size es ima e. Al hough hei
hun e knowledge was inally indica ed, i s ejec ion and he hun ing ban o
1993-1994, s ill ankles among p o essional hun e s 23 yea s on in 2016.
Gi en he la ge numbe and high densi y o Ame alik ca ibou in 2001, u he
popula ion size inc ease was expec ed o exace ba e exis ing obse ed ange
deg ada ion and possibly lead o a na u al decline o popula ion numbe
owing o densi y-dependen o age limi a ion. Since his was con a y o
sus ainable use, wildli e managemen inc eased hun e ha es and aimed a
educing ca ibou abundance and densi y o a sui able s ocking a e, i.e., 1.2
ca ibou pe sq km (Cuyle e al. 2007). The a ge s ocking a e was based on
s udies elsewhe e ha documen associa ions be ween obse ed densi ies and
changes in 1) ca ibou p oduc i i y, 2) dispe sal, and 3) condi ion o he ange,
as desc ibed in Cuyle e al. (2007).
Essen ially, inc eased hun e ha es o bo h he Ame alik and
Qeqe a sua siaa popula ions was achie ed ini ially by g ea ly aised quo as
in 2001 and 2002, leng hening he au umn season, and au ho izing he ha es
o all sexes and ages. These we e ollowed in 2003 by open unlimi ed ha es s
and he addi ion o a win e hun ing season (begun 2003). Unlimi ed au umn
ha es s con inued. Fo example, jus p io o his 2012 su ey, he e was also
a win e Janua y-Feb ua y ha es on Ame alik ca ibou. In con as , he e was
no win e season o Qeqe a sua siaa in 2012.
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), and he 1995
– 1999 hun ing pe mi s allowed only a bull ha es . Since 2001, ha es
managemen app o ed he aking o cows and cows wi h cal es, and he
ha es o emales inc eased subs an ially. The iming and leng h o hun ing
seasons has a ied. Be ween 1996 and 2005 hun ing seasons we e leng hened
h ee o se en- old. Be ween 1996 and 1999 he leng h o he hun ing season
21
ne e exceeded 27 days, 15 Augus o 10 Sep embe , o bo h ec ea ional and
p o essional hun e s. In con as , in 2004 he au umn season was 92 days (15
July – 15 No embe ) o bo h ec ea ional and p o essional hun e s, wi h he
la e ecei ing an addi ional 90-day win e season (1 Decembe – 28
Feb ua y). In 2005 he au umn season was sho ened by 15 days and he
win e season by one mon h.
The 2006 su ey o abundance o Ame alik ca ibou esul ed in an abundance
es ima e ha was much educed and in acco d wi h he a ge s ocking a e
(Cuyle e al. 2007). Simul aneously, cal p oduc ion and ec ui men
inc eased, while he adul sex a io was unal e ed. Howe e , analyses
sugges ed he possibili y ha he 2006 Ame alik popula ion size o ca. 10,000
migh d op by 50% o e he nex ew yea s (Wi ing & Cuyle 2011).
Meanwhile, he 2006 abundance o Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou was unchanged
om 2001, while demog aphics e idenced a skewing owa ds males, o
which hun e p e e ence since 2001 may ha e been ins umen al.
P esen su ey
Gi en he unlimi ed au umn and win e ha es s be ween 2006 and 2012
wha changes, i any, had esul ed in he abundance and demog aphics o he
Ame alik and Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou popula ions? In ea ly Ma ch 2012 he
G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces (GINR) once again examined hese
wo ca ibou popula ions o he Sou h Region in Wes G eenland by ae ial
helicop e su ey. This 2012 su ey eplaced he mul iple sho leng h
andom ansec lines s ip me hod o 2001 and 2006, wi h dis ance sampling
and sys ema ic ansec lines. This epo p esen s he 2012 p e-cal ing
abundance o he wo ca ibou popula ions in he Sou h egion and
demog aphics o he Ame alik ca ibou.
Me hods
S udy a ea
The Sou h egion is cu en ly calcula ed o abou 12,800 km2 o pe manen ly
ice- ee a ea, which also excludes lakes and i e s. Olde calcula ions, which
included lakes and i e s, es ima ed 13,473 km2 (Cuyle e al. 2003, 2007).
God håbs jo d o ms he no he n bo de and F ede ikshåb Isblink he
sou he n bo de . The eas and wes bounda ies a e he G eenland Ice Cap and
he Da is S ai espec i ely. App oxima e no h-sou h bounda ies o he

22
Sou h egion a e 64.8N and 62.8N. The a ea su eyed did no include majo
glacie s o he majo i y o la ge islands on he coas line be ween Nuuk and
F ede ikshåb Isblink. Bjø neø and S o ø, islands in he God håbs jo d, we e
also excluded. The p e-2001 bo de be ween he Ame alik and
Qeqe a sua siaa popula ions was ees ablished, i.e., Se milik jo d and he
Se meq glacie . Thus he Ame alik a ea is cu en ly assessed o abou 7,044 sq
km, and he Qeqe a sua siaa abou 5,756 sq km.
Common o Wes G eenland, he Sou h egion exhibi s a clima e g adien . The
wes e n seacoas is we ma i ime, howe e , he clima e becomes d y
con inen al as one mo es eas owa ds he G eenland Ice Cap. The egion is
sandwiched be ween he domina ing high p essu e o e he G eenland Ice
Cap o he Eas and he equen low-p essu e oceanic s o m sys ems ha
sweep up om he sou hwes . A he nea by capi al ci y o Nuuk, annual
p ecipi a ion is 600 mm, annual mean empe a u e -1.4°C, wi h mean July
empe a u e 6.5°C (Tams o e al. 2005). Topog aphy is ypically
moun ainous be ween he eigh jo ds, which pene a e deeply owa ds, and
o en end a , he inland Ice Cap. Ele a ions o e 300 m co e mos o he
egion and peaks o 1000-1500 m a e common. Aside om he
ca ibou/ eindee , he only indigenous wild mammals p esen in he Sou h
egion a e a c ic ha e (Lepus a c icus Rhoads) and a c ic ox (Alopex lagopus
Linnaeus). An addi ional species, muskoxen (O ibos moscha us Zimme mann),
has ecen ly es ablished i sel in he small no heas e n a ea known as
Nuna a ssuaq. These a e na u al immig an s om he Kange lussuaq
popula ion (67°N, 51°W). Also, e al sheep (O is a ies), which o igina ed om
sheep a ming a Kapisilli (inne God håbs jo d), ha e main ained a small
p esence in Aus mannadalen o se e al decades. These a e p o ec ed, bu
illegal ha es occu s. Fu he s udy a ea de ails a e a ailable in Wi ing &
Cuyle (2011).
Su ey design and ield me hods
A eas su eyed included islands, lakes and i e s, omi ing Ice Caps and
glacie s. Simila o p e ious su eys Ma ch was chosen o easons desc ibed
in Cuyle e al. (2007). The 2012 ae ial helicop e su ey di e ed in design and
me hod om he 2001 and 2006 andom ansec line s ip-coun s. This su ey
used line dis ance sampling on 61 lines o a iable leng h. Mos ollowed a
wes -eas axis, e lec ing he clima e g adien om coas al ma i ime o d y
con inen al a he Ice Cap (Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, Appendix 5). Al hough lines
we e sys ema ically pa allel, ini ial s a - and end-poin s o a s a um we e
23
andom. The e we e wo s a a, one each o expec ed high and low ca ibou
densi y. Lines we e sepa a ed by 7 and 20 km espec i ely. The igu es 4-
7show lines numbe ing 1 o 62, howe e , numbe 53 was omi ed. Line-61
was lown 7 km u he no h han in ended and as shown in igu e 4.
Failu e o de ec ca ibou was s ill conside ed he mos impo an sou ce o
nega i e bias (inaccu acy). The ypical high a iabili y o snow co e in Wes
G eenland e ain p o ides he o en s a iona y ca ibou pe ec backg ound
camou lage (Pa II; Appendices 11, 12, 13, 14 & 15). The e o e now and since
2000; we ha e used an AS350-B3 helicop e , which can ollow e ain ea u es
while main aining a compa a i ely cons an al i ude abo e g ound le el e en
lying low and slow, while obse e s concen a ed on de ec ing ca ibou along
a ela i ely na ow s ip wid h. To educe he amoun o ‘dead g ound’
hidden by landscape ea u es (a ea u e o p e ious su eys), helicop e
al i ude in his 2012 su ey was aised o 40m (ca. 120 ee ). Fligh speed
a e aged ca. 65 km/hou and was ne e below 60 km/hou .
Pa icipan s included h ee obse e s and one pe son eco ding da a, i.e.,
dis ance o and size o each ca ibou g oup wi h associa ed GPS loca ion.
Obse e s, each wi h p e ious su ey expe ience, included G eenland
Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces (GINR) esea ch biologis , Ch is ine Cuyle ,
p o essional hun e Aslak Jensen (G eenland Associa ion o P o essional
Hun e s (KNAPK)) om Nuuk, and Sisimiu Hun ing O ice Hans Mølgaa d
(G eenland Fishe ies & Licensing Con ol (GFLK)). Two obse e s
collabo a i ely su eyed om he le side o he helicop e , while one did he
igh side alone. Josephine Nymand, esea ch biologis wi h GINR was he
da a eco de . While su eying lines he e was e bal con ac among ca ibou
obse e s and he da a eco de . De ini ions o e ms and maps delinea ing all
ca ibou popula ions in G eenland a e a ailable in Cuyle e al. (2007).
Es ima ing abundance
Dis ance sampling
In con as o he Sou h egion su eys o 2001 and 2006, popula ion es ima es
o he wo ca ibou popula ions in es iga ed in 2012 we e ob ained by
employing line dis ance sampling me hods, in which dis ances om a line o
animals de ec ed a e eco ded and om hese dis ances densi y and/o
abundance o animal popula ions a e es ima ed (Buckland e al. 2001, Thomas
e al. 2010).
24
Figu e 4. Line numbe s wi h A and B end poin s o he no heas e n po ion o he Sou h egion,
ca ibou su ey o abundance, 1-12 Ma ch 2012. Lines we e sepa a ed by 7 o 20 km o high and low
ca ibou densi y s a a espec i ely. Ele a ions abo e 200m a e shown in pale-yellow. Line 53 does no
exis . I would ha e been 7km no h o ansec 52 unning ac oss he low ele a ion sho neck o land.
Figu e 5. Line numbe s wi h A and B end poin s o he no h-cen al po ion o he Sou h egion,
ca ibou su ey o abundance, 1-12 Ma ch 2012. Lines we e sepa a ed by 7 o 20 km o high and low
ca ibou densi y s a a espec i ely. Ele a ions abo e 200m a e shown in pale-yellow.
B
B
A
B
B
B
B
A
BA
B
A
A
A
A
B
A
A
AB
B
B
A
A
A
B
AA B
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
47
49 B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
43
44
45
46
48
42
50
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
40
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
Powe S a ion
Powe S a ion
Powe S a ion
Powe S a ion
Powe S a ion
Powe S a ion
Powe S a ion
Powe S a ion
Powe S a ion
36 37
34
41
39
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
Kange lua so useq
Kange lua so useq
Kange lua so useq
Kange lua so useq
Kange lua so useq
Kange lua so useq
Kange lua so useq
Kange lua so useq
Kange lua so useq
Fæ ingeha n
Fæ ingeha n
Fæ ingeha n
Fæ ingeha n
Fæ ingeha n
Fæ ingeha n
Fæ ingeha n
Fæ ingeha n
Fæ ingeha n
35
38
33 B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
25
Figu e 6. Line numbe s wi h A and B end poin s o he sou h-cen al po ion o he Sou h egion,
ca ibou su ey o abundance, 1-12 Ma ch 2012. Lines a e sepa a ed by 7 o high ca ibou densi y
s a um. Ele a ions abo e 200m a e shown in pale-yellow.
Figu e 7. Line numbe s wi h A and B end poin s o he sou he n mos po ion o he Sou h egion,
ca ibou su ey o abundance, 1-12 Ma ch 2012. Lines a e sepa a ed by 7 o 20 km o high and low
ca ibou densi y s a a espec i ely. Ele a ions abo e 200m a e shown in pale-yellow.
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
16
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
15
14 B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
BA
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
13
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A17
18
19 B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
AB
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
10
12
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B28
26
25
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
23
21
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
AB
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
30
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
20
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
BA
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
9
11
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
33
32
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
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
27
24
22
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
29
31A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
9
11
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
7
8
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
1
2
3
12
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
5
10
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
4
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
6
32
Su ey logis ics
In he pe iod 1-12 Ma ch we lew se en o hose days. Poo wea he made i e
days non- lyable. Fligh ime o aled ca. 39 hou s and 11 minu es, 13 hou s
mo e han in he 2006 su ey. Re ueling was necessa y a e abou 2.5 hou s
o ligh ime. Sys ema ic lines 34 o 62 applied o Ame alik ca ibou, while
lines 1 o 33 o Qeqe a sua siaa .
Figu e 10. Six ca ibou, including wo cal es, a e ha dly isible a a dis ance o ca. 200 me e s, line 60,
9 Ma ch. The six a e unning single- ile ac oss he cen e and igh o cen e. I s a iona y, as o en
occu s, some o all could ha e emained unde ec ed unde hese condi ions o mixed snow co e and
shadows in ocky e ain. The la e we e common a hea y o aging si es like his one. Pho o C. Cuyle
Ca ibou sigh abili y
Once again sigh abili y o ca ibou wi hin 300 me e s o he ansec line was a
p oblem. Fac o s included incomple e snow co e , ligh /shadow condi ions
ypical o ea ly Ma ch, sun in one’s eyes and low ca ibou g oup size. The
Ma ch 2012 snow co e and ocky e ain p o ided excep ional camou lage
o ca ibou (Fig. 10, Pa II: Appendices 11, 12, 13, 14 & 15). De ec ing ca ibou
was u he comp omised by he wes -eas o ien a ion o mos lines, which
made ce ain ha on he sou h- acing side o he helicop e he sun was in
obse e eyes and e lec ing o he snow su ace. Despi e obse e s using
pola ized sunglasses, his in ense sunligh in he eyes may ha e educed
sigh abili y o ca ibou. I ce ainly inc eased obse e a igue.

33
The ligh al i ude o 40m, which educed he amoun o dead-g ound,
esul ed in he sensa ion o inc eased ligh speed because he e was mo e
g ound o sea ch and scan o e . When combined wi h a long line leng h, he
esul was a eeling o s ess and a igue among obse e s. Fu he , he long
leng h o mos lines esul ed in pe iods o diminished obse e concen a ion,
which could lowe ca ibou de ec ion gi en he ambien camou lage
condi ions. Finally, he helicop e windows os ed, which obscu ed isibili y
because ambien empe a u e was nea -20°C. The os and i s cons an
physical emo al (by c edi ca d) could ha e dec eased ca ibou de ec ion.
Muskoxen & sheep
No muskoxen we e obse ed, al hough known o inhabi he Nuna a suaq
a ea in he no heas e n po ion o he Ame alik ca ibou ange. The a ea was
sea ch ho oughly and many ca ibou we e obse ed. Fu he , i e e al sheep
we e seen on he no h (sou h- acing) side o Aus mannadalen. Among hem
was a ewe wi h he lamb (Fig. 11). We also obse ed oxes, ha es and
p a migan (sepa a e epo ) and one la ge da k phase gy alcon (Falco
us icolus). The la e was lying alongside line 58.
Figu e 11. Fe al ewe s ands wi h he almos yea ling male lamb a he mou h o Aus mannadalen,
no h side. Fe al sheep ha e inhabi ed Aus mannadalen since abou he 1970’s. Pho o C. Cuyle
34
Snow co e & lack he eo
Snow dep h and co e a ied. One speci ic a ea s ood ou . In con as o mos
o he a eas su eyed, including nea by line 35, along line 36 and he wes e n
po ion o line 37 he e was a deep blanke o snow. By he eas e n end o 37
he snow ga e way o ba e g ound and sh ubs, which we e ypical o lines 45,
46 and 48, owing o bo h he d y con inen al clima e and he ain-shadow
c ea ed by he Se meq glacial massi e o he sou h.
Sea ice co e
Sea ice was ex ensi e in he jo ds his yea . Fo mos jo ds in he
Qeqe a sua siaa a ea he e was sea ice igh o he mou h o he jo d and
in o he Da is S ai i sel . Ca ibou acks c ossing sea ice o access islands
was obse ed a he Se milik jo d and Qeqe a sua siaa , and c ossing he
jo ds o o he mainland a eas was common.
Skidoo use
Skidoo use was common in he a eas sou h and eas om he own o
Kapisilli , which is abou 75km ENE o Nuuk and si ua ed in he inne
God håb jo d. Skidoo acks we e e iden all he way sou h o he Ame alik
jo d a Kilaa sa ik/Sandness and h ough he moun ain alleys eas o he
Is jo d (head o God håbs jo d).
Discussion
New su ey me hod
Abundance su eys can aim o ob ain popula ion size ends by epea ing he
same me hods o e a ime se ies o su eys. Al e na ely, maximizing he
accu acy o popula ion size es ima es may equi e he adop ion o new
me hods. The la e may be a he expense o conclusi e ‘ ends’ om he las
su ey. Since he same me hod was used o he 2001 and 2006 su eys o
Ame alik and Qeqe a sua siaa , conclusions ega ding popula ion size ends
we e possible. A d awback o he 2001 and 2006 su eys was ha only 2% o
he o al Sou h egion a ea was su eyed. The 2012 su ey, inc eased a ea
co e age o 10%, and in an e o o imp o e es ima e accu acy, employed line
dis ance sampling. The la e would ende inconclusi e any hin o ends
since 2006 (unless he 2012 su ey was analyzed in he same manne as he
2006 su ey, which i was no ). The 2012 popula ion size es ima es o bo h
Ame alik and Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou a e simila o he es ima es om
35
2006, which all wi hin he con idence in e als o 2012. I he 2012 su ey is
mo e accu a e (i.e., close o he ue popula ion size) han ea lie su eys,
hen he absence o a end sugges s ha he 2012 popula ion size may
ac ually be lowe han he popula ion sizes es ima ed in he p e ious su eys.
Popula ion sizes
Ame alik
P e iously, be ween 2001 and 2006, he e was a subs an ial decline in
Ame alik ca ibou abundance achie ed h ough ha es managemen (Cuyle
e al. 2007, Wi ing & Cuyle 2011). Bayesian model p edic ions using he 2001
o 2006 popula ion dec ease ( om abou 32,000 down o 10,000) sugges ed
ha i hun ing con inued a he 2006 le el hen by 2012 he Ame alik
popula ion migh dec ease o abou 2,790 ca ibou (90%CI: 425-9164) (Wi ing
& Cuyle 2011). This did no happen. The p e-cal ing 2012 Ame alik
popula ion es ima e was abou 11,700 ca ibou. Tha analysis highligh s he
unce ain y su ounding model p edic ions de i ed om using a ime se ies
o only wo poin s. Mo e impo an ly, he Ame alik popula ion size emains
ela i ely s able despi e con inued high hun ing p essu e, which included
unlimi ed win e ha es ing. Meanwhile, Ame alik ca ibou densi y in 2012
was 1.7/km2. This exceeds he ecommended a ge densi y, 1.2/km2. The
2012 densi y o ca. 2 ca ibou/km2 g ea ly inc eases he isk o o e g azing,
which could ul ima ely nega i ely impac ca ibou abundance.
Qeqe a sua siaa
The 2012 Qeqe a sua siaa es ima ed abundance o ca. 4,800 ca ibou also
indica es gene al s abili y since he i s helicop e su ey o 2001. Again
despi e inc eased hun ing p essu e and analyses ha sugges ed ha es
es ic ions migh be necessa y (Wi ing & Cuyle 2011). Simila o Ame alik,
he 2012 densi y is di e en om he 2006. Fo Qeqe a sua siaa i dec eased,
s ays well below a ge , and he isk o o e g azing is assumed low.
Changes
The seeming s abili y o bo h popula ions in he Sou h egion is no eason o
complacency, because he e a e some disquie ing an h opogenic changes o
he ca ibou en i onmen . These include al e ed ca ibou habi a use
(dis ibu ion) and demog aphics, c ippling loss and new ends in hun ing.
These a e impo an o conside since expec ed global wa ming will be an
36
addi ional change ha can b ing en i onmen al ins abili y wi h nega i e
consequences o ca ibou abundance.
1. Al e ed dis ibu ion obse ed
F om he la e 1990’s un il 2001, ca ibou we e yea ound inhabi an s on he
coas al lowlands be ween he Ame alik and Se milik jo ds (Cuyle e al.
2003). In Ma ch 2001 abou 60% o all Ame alik ca ibou obse ed we e
o aging in ha same coas al lowland habi a (Cuyle e al. 2003, 2007). This is
e idence ha hese lowlands we e p e e ed habi a . By 2006 he numbe s o
obse ed animals d opped o unde 40 and we e seen only be ween
Bukse jo d and Se milik jo d a eas. In 2012, jus 7 ca ibou we e obse ed,
which equa ed o abou 1% o all obse ed. Al e na ely, his is a 98%
educ ion in Ame alik ca ibou use o he lowlands since 2001.
Being coas al lowlands, he usual suspec s o al e ed ca ibou dis ibu ion in
Ma ch would include o age limi a ion due o deep snow o icing, e.g., om
ain-on-snow o haw- e eeze. Di ec ield measu emen s we e no ob ained,
howe e ; nei he Nuuk wea he da a (DMI 2014) no local knowledge
(Appendix 1) implica es ei he o hese culp i s. P eda ion is no conside ed
because la ge p eda o s do no exis in Wes G eenland. Hun ing, as a
dis u bance, is a hi d and e y plausible suspec . The e was no win e
hun ing in 2001 when ca ibou use o he coas al lowlands was high. The e
was, howe e , win e hun ing in bo h 2006 and 2012 and immedia ely
p eceded he ae ial su eys hose yea s.
Skidoo dis u bance is a u he suspec since hei use o hun ing was i s
con i med in he win e 2006 in he Bukse jo d and Se milik jo d a ea (Cuyle
e al. 2007). Skidoo acks we e also seen du ing he 2012 su ey. Du ing
win e 2012, KNAPK p o essional hun e Aslak Jensen (pe s comm.) knew o
ex ensi e ca ibou hun ing by skidoo in he a eas a ound and sou h o
Kapisilli , ex ending igh h ough o Ame alik jo d. Skidoo hun ing could
explain he obse ed low numbe s and densi y o ca ibou in ha same a ea,
and simila ly he high numbe s and densi y o ca ibou obse ed o he eas on
Nuna a ssuaq and o he sou h o Aus mannadalen. The o me is a a he
inaccessible adjacen a ea o high ele a ion sandwiched be ween he Is jo d
and he G eenland Ice Cap, while he la e may be e en mo e di icul o
access by skidoo.
37
The win e ha es season appea s o impac ele a ions used by he ca ibou.
Whe e a wide selec ion o ele a ions is a ailable, ca ibou p e e o aging
lowlands in win e . Typical win e ele a ions p e e ed by G eenland ca ibou
a e less han 200 m (Cuyle unpublished). Ye he 2012 su ey, which began
immedia ely ollowing he end o he Ame alik win e hun ing season,
obse ed habi a use a median ele a ions o 626 m o Ame alik and 507 m
o Qeqe a sua siaa . This sugges s ha win e hun ing c ea es dis u bances
ha make ca ibou a oid hei p e e ed op imal win e o age a lowe
ele a ions.
We suspec ha win e hun ing o ca ibou changed hei na u al dis ibu ion,
c ea ing a eas o a i icially high and low ca ibou densi y. A man-made
ca ibou dis ibu ion will ha e di ec impac on ca ibou popula ion es ima es,
i su eys o abundance s a i y su ey e o as pe expec ed om pas
na u al ca ibou dis ibu ions. Fo una ely, his s udy conduc ed a one-day
econnaissance p io o beginning he ae ial su ey and assigned high and
low ca ibou s a a acco dingly.
Win e hun ing ei he jus p io o o du ing a su ey ha esul ed in a changed
ca ibou dis ibu ion is a se ious challenge o es ima ing popula ion size. Deep snow
o icing could do he same. Thus a helicop e econnaissance de e mining ca ibou
dis ibu ion is necessa y be o e any su ey begins and speci ically i a hun ing
season has jus inished o a se ious wea he e en has occu ed. Al hough an added
expense, i is a jus i iable one, since he o hcoming popula ion es ima e equi es a
co ec s a i ica ion o high and low ca ibou densi y a eas o alloca ion o su ey
e o (Appendix 8). In he absence o p e-su ey econnaissance ligh s, a na u al
ca ibou dis ibu ion is p e e able o an a i icial unp edic able man-made one.
2. C ippled ca ibou
The 2012 o al obse ed in he Sou h egion was 1795 ca ibou, i.e., combining
obse a ions om bo h ansec lines and demog aphic obse a ions. This
included i e c ippled animals, which has ne e be o e been expe ienced by
he su ey obse e s despi e a his o y o 11 su eys. One possible cause
would be i ea m c ippling, since ou o he i e we e Ame alik ca ibou
whe e he win e 2012 hun ing season had jus ended. Only one c ipple was a
Qeqe a sua siaa animal whe e win e hun ing was p ohibi ed in 2012, bu
migh ha e occu ed. The majo i y o he c ippled we e cows. Thei cal
p oduc ion, as well as su i al, was likely comp omised. C ippling cows, i
widesp ead and common, could unde mine he u u e o hese wo

38
popula ions, and con ound wildli e managemen e o s, especially since he
magni ude o c ippled animal dea hs is unknown.
The G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces is awa e o abundan pe sonal
s o ies om pas au umn hun ing seasons conce ning obse a ions o hun e s
i ing in excess o 20-50 bulle s a leeing ca ibou. Addi ionally, au ho
expe ience alone numbe s ou een such obse a ions since 2001. The usual
esul o such e a ic shoo ing is only a c ippled animal o wo and none
killed, o all missed. Since 2013, on any gi en ip in o he back coun y, one
can seldom a oid obse ing limping o bleeding ca ibou. One hun e
epo ed shoo ing dead an animal in Sep embe 2015 only o disco e ha i
had been sho p e iously he same season, which ende ed all o he mea
inedible due o ad anced sep icemia. This c ippled animal would ha e
undoub edly died sho ly he ea e ega dless. Fo imp o ing popula ion
dynamics modeling, ou No h Ame ican managemen plans o mig a o y
ca ibou he ds sugges inc easing annual ha es s a is ics by 20% o accoun
o dea hs om inju ies, e.g., c ippling, mo o ehicle acciden s and poaching.
The unce ain y inhe en in any sugges ed igu e is acknowledged.
3. Demog aphics
Ame alik
Al hough no necessa ily disquie ing in all aspec s, demog aphics has
changed since he 2001 su ey. The good news is ha he la e win e cal
pe cen age and ec ui men imp o ed. In 2001 cal pe cen age was only 18%.
By 2006 his ose o 25% and coincided wi h he la ge educ ion in popula ion
size. I ose again o 28% by 2012. These indica e ha ca ibou densi y on he
ange since 2006 p omo es a maximal cal p oduc ion and su i al. The
modes 2012 inc ease may be connec ed o he ollowing poin . The a io o
bulls o cows has declined. Al hough mo e cows ypically will mean mo e
cal es, his could ul ima ely make egula ing popula ion numbe s di icul .
Ini ially he bull o cow a io d opped only sligh ly, be ween 0.83 and 0.81 pe
cow, in he pe iod 2001-2006. Howe e , he 2012 alue was abou 0.62 bulls
pe cow. Finally, he obse ed maximum g oup size has swung om 28 down
o 15 and back up o 24 o he same pe iod, while a e age g oup sizes ha e
emained gene ally 4-6 ca ibou ± 3.
Qeqe a sua siaa
Al hough no a comple e da a se we can discuss some demog aphic changes
since he 2001 su ey. On a posi i e no e, while la e win e cal pe cen age
39
and ec ui men plumme ed be ween 2001 and 2006 (Table 1), eco e y was
e iden by 2012 when he ough alue ob ained om ansec lines indica ed
a minimum o 18% cal es. This alue is unde Ame alik’s, howe e , co ec ly
iden i ying cal es on ansec lines is di icul and many may ha e been
misclassi ied, so we assume he ue cal pe cen age was highe . Ra he
disquie ing in 2006 was he low numbe o cows, which e idenced i sel in he
low cal pe cen age and a male-skewed bull o cow a io o 2.75 bulls o
e e y cow (Cuyle e al. 2007). Gi en ha cal pe cen ages imp o ed by 2012,
we may wi h some con idence assume ha he ela i e numbe o cows has
also imp o ed. Un o una ely ime did no allow a de ailed demog aphic o
he Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou in 2012. Maximum g oup size ose be ween
2001 and 2006 and appea s o ha e emained high h ough 2012, beginning a
6, inc easing o 14 and inally being 11 espec i ely. A e age g oup sizes ha e
luc ua ed. Ini ially, in 2001, g oups we e uni o mly small, i.e., 3 ±1 S.D. Since
hen Ame alik animals ha e immig a ed in o he Qeqe a sua siaa ange
(Cuyle e al. 2003, 2007). Ame alik animals possess a g ea e endency o
agg ega e, owing o hei e al eindee he i age. Al hough a i s g oup size
inc eased o 5 ±3 S.D. wi h he new in lux, by 2012 i was again a e aging 3
ca ibou, albei wi h double he s anda d de ia ion (i.e., ±2 S.D.).
4. Hun ing ends
Any discussion o he 2012 s a us and subsequen wildli e managemen
implica ions mus acknowledge ha 4-yea s ha e passed be ween he su ey
and he w i ing o his epo . Hun ing has changed o e he in e ening
pe iod. These changes may impac ca ibou o aging beha io , dis ibu ion as
well as mo emen s, and he numbe ha es ed annually. Quan i ying possible
changes is di icul , while ha es pe popula ion emains guess wo k
(Appendix 9) and c ippling loss is unknown. Se e al ecen ends include he
ollowing:
 Mo e boa s
 Bigge and as e boa s
 Ad anced GPS echnologies
 Use o social media
 Rec ea ional hun e s selling hei ca ch
 Poaching (hun e s wi hou pe mi s)
To hun ca ibou in G eenland you need a boa . Today’s hun e s ha e apid
access o he back coun y. Quan i ying he ise in boa numbe s be ween 2010
and 2016 p o ed impossible, because no eco ds a e kep and ancho ages a e
40
o en ad hoc. The bes sou ce was he God håb Boa Club membe ship
in o ma ion. Fo he pe iod 2010 and 2015 boa numbe inc eased and many
we e la ge and as e han in he pas . Hun e s ypically use ad anced GPS
equipmen o bo h ma ine and e es ial pu poses. Many use local social
media o immedia e in o ma ion abou whe e ca ibou a e o be ound on a
speci ic day.
Be ween 2010 and 2016 he popula ion in Nuuk ose by 1,500 inhabi an s, i.e.,
om 15,500 o 17,000 inhabi an s, an inc ease o almos 10% (S a is ics
G eenland 2016). Today you can expe ience oo many hun e s in he e ain
(Appendix 1). Wi hin a 60 km adius om Nuuk he e is ha dly an ancho age
ha does no con ain 5-10 boa s on weekends. E en a wice he dis ance,
G æde jo d will ha e a leas one boa pe bay (Appendix 1). Fu he , many
lakes ha e also expe ienced a ma ked ise in he numbe o boa s wi h small
ou boa d engines s a ioned on hei sho es.
P e iously 4 o 6 ca ibou annually we e conside ed su icien pe household
(Nuka Mølle -Lund pe s comm.). Today he p ima y goal o some
ec ea ional hun e s is no longe he illing o he amily eeze , bu
mone a y, e.g., selling he mea . The la e is legal, bu comes wi h se e al
es ic i e ca ea s (Appendix 9). We sugges he e may be he po en ial o
o e ha es ing, gi en p o i mo i e, cu en open ha es ing wi h long
au umn season and lack o ha es con ol by Conse a ion O ice s.
Poaching
Since 2012 he e may be a sizeable numbe o poache s, i.e., hose wi hou
hun ing pe mi s, which would esul in unde epo ed ha es s in Pinia neq.
Today he imp ession is ha he e a e mo e hun e s in he Nuuk a ea han
e e be o e, howe e , he numbe o pu chased hun ing pe mi s indica es he
opposi e. In he pe iod be ween 2010 and 2015 o he Nuuk a ea he numbe
o p o essional pe mi s pu chased annually emained s eady a a ound 63. In
con as he numbe o ec ea ional pe mi s d opped om 1095 o 615 (APNN
Nuka Mølle -Lund pe s comm.). This is a 44% dec ease in pu chased
ec ea ional pe mi s. The si ua ion is simila o all o G eenland in ha
pe iod, i.e., p o essional pe mi s pu chased emained s able a ound 2000,
while ec ea ional pe mi s d opped om 5548 o 3811, a dec ease o 31%
(APNN Nuka Mølle -Lund pe s comm.). The s abili y in he p o essional
pe mi s may be inaccu a e. This win e 2016 he local Nuuk chap e (NAPP)
o he p o essional hun e ’s union (KNAPK) accoun s 83 pe sons among hei
41
membe s, while he o he hun e ’s union, Neqi aq, has abou 20 membe s. The
combined o al o abou 103 p o essional hun e s in Nuuk does no ma ch up
wi h he 63 ac ual p o essional pe mi s cu en ly in use.
Gi en common opinion ha hun e s a e mo e nume ous oday, wo possible
explana ions o his migh include, 1) ha he emaining hun e s a e mo e
ac i e, o 2) ha many hun e s a e no pu chasing hun ing pe mi s. The la e
is suppo ed by he ab up d op in pu chased pe mi s in 2012, which
coincided wi h a 4x inc ease in pu chase p ice, i.e., om 50 o 200 Danish
k one , which was aised again in 2015 o 250 Danish k one . The new p ices
applied o bo h p o essional and ec ea ional pe mi s (APNN Nuka Mølle -
Lund pe s comm.).
Since checking o hun ing pe mi possession by Conse a ion O ice s
e ec i ely ne e occu s in some municipali ies, e.g., Nuuk, hen pu chasing
one may seem an unnecessa y expense o many. I he 30-40% d op among
ec ea ional pe mi s and he disc epancy in p o essional numbe s uly
e lec s he cu en numbe o poache s ou hun ing wi hou hun ing pe mi s
hen ha es igu es ob ained h ough Pinia neq epo ing will be below ac ual
ca ch numbe s.
Wha do he ca ibou need?
Requi emen s o maximum p oduc ion
Nega i e consequences o ca ibou p oduc ion o en a ise om
en i onmen al ins abili y because he la e can be in opposi ion o wha
ca ibou equi e. Pa hogens and some o he ac o s no wi hs anding, o
achie e maximum p oduc ion ca ibou p ima ily need accessible, abundan ,
nu i ious o age. Addi ionally, o each season, ca ibou need undis u bed
access o he p e e ed habi a associa ed wi h ha pe iod, and once on ha
habi a ca ibou need o o age and umina e a hei leisu e. This is especially
ue o c i ical habi a s, which include cal ing, la e-summe -ea ly-au umn and
win e anges. The o me is necessa y o p oduc ion and he la e wo o
‘ a ening-up’ and su i al espec i ely.
Au umn ha es season
La ge numbe s o hun e s coming a he ca ibou om all angles o e a 10
week au umn season b ings se e al hings o mind. The hun ing season
coincides wi h la e-summe -ea ly-au umn ange use by he ca ibou, and
48
include he shipping impo and sale o goods in ol ed di ec ly o indi ec ly
in ca ibou ha es (e.g., boa s, uel, na iga ion gea , guns, hun ing gea e c.),
as well as, boa se ice main enance and goods, mo o se ice and
main enance, wice annual uck anspo o boa s, boa s o age, he
es ablishmen and upkeep o ha bou s, ou i ing e c. and he employmen o
hose in ol ed in he associa ed indus ies. No only will he income o
p o essional hun e s su e i ca ibou numbe s decline, bu also he abo e
se ice indus ies likely s and o lose money and employmen oppo uni ies.
Widesp ead nega i e economic consequences migh be el h oughou
communi ies.
Meanwhile he magni ude o he ha es is unknown and win e hun ing is
sanc ioned. Wi h clima e change lu king, we suspec he chances o
ca as ophic wea he will ise. Ca ibou popula ions elsewhe e a ound he
globe a e in decline, some s eeply, o causes usually unknown. G eenland
ca ibou a e likely ulne able. The u u e o ou ca ibou popula ions, and
hence he signi ican economic p o i ob ained he eo , could be in jeopa dy.
Moni o ing, which is he ounda ion o upda ing he ad ice on he u iliza ion
o he ca ibou s ocks, is ou -o -da e.
Among all his unce ain y, a e wo known’s. Fi s , a e an ini ial success ul
dec ease Ame alik ca ibou densi y again ose and was almos wice he
ecommended by 2012. Secondly, o G eenland ca ibou wi h hei high
ep oduc i e capaci y (Cuyle & Øs e gaa d 2005), he p ecau iona y
p inciple is bes applied o conse a ion o hei ange, i.e., he o age
ege a ion. E en i ca ibou densi y we e o ab up ly d op below
ecommended (e.g., possible causes include o e ha es o ca as ophic
wea he ), G eenland ca ibou could eco e abundance quickly whe e hei
ange quali y is good. Since o e g azing akes decades o epai , p e en ing
o e g azing is he ecommended me hod o con inued ca ibou s ocks, o o
p omo ing eco e y a e a decline.
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 Pol Telness o his sa e lying. Thanks also o he G eenland Associa ion
o P o essional Hun e s (KNAPK) and G eenland Fishe ies Licenses Con ol

49
(GFLK) o p o iding expe ienced obse e s, who we e excellen a spo ing
ca ibou despi e poo snow co e condi ions. Gene ous je - uel con ibu ions
came om T ue No h Gems (Fiskenæsse ) and om he Bukse jo d Hyd o-
Powe S a ion o which we we e e y g a e ul. We hank Inaluk Schmid
Jacobsen o p o iding he DMI clima e da a in a usable o ma . G a e ul
hanks a e due Na uk Olsen, Inaluk Jakobsen, Mala B obe g, Bja ne Lybe h
and Nuka Mølle -Lund o simul aneous ansla ion du ing he collec ion o
local knowledge. We also hank Mads Pe e Heide-Jø gensen and Fe nando
Uga e o use ul e iews o he manusc ip and Joseph Pa ick McCullough
o p oo eading.
Li e a u e ci ed
Aanes R, Sæ he B-E. & Ø i sland N.A. 2000. Fluc ua ions o an in oduced popula ion o
S alba d eindee : he e ec s o densi y dependence and clima ic a ia ion. Ecog aphy.
23: 437-443.
Adamczewski J., Gunn A., Poole K.G., Hall A., Nishi J. & Boulange J. 2015. Wha Happened
o he Be e ly Ca ibou He d a e 1994? A c ic 68(4): 407-421.
Albon S.D., S ien A., I ine R.J., Lang a n R., Rops ad E. & Hal o sen O. 2002. The ole o
pa asi es in he dynamics o a eindee popula ion. P oc. R. Soc. Lond. B 269: 1625-1632.
Buckland S.T., Ande son D.R., Bu nham K.P., Laake J.L., Bo che s D.L. & Thomas L.2001.
In oduc ion o Dis ance Sampling. Ox o d: Ox o d Uni e si y P ess.
B aun C.E. (edi o ) 2005. Techniques o wildli e in es iga ions and managemen . 6 h edi ion
– Ma ch 2005. The Wildli e Socie y. Be hesda Ma yland, USA. 974 pp.
CARMA (Ci cum A c ic Rangi e Moni o ing & Assessmen ne wo k). www.ca ma.ca .is/
Clausen B.A., Dam K., El es ad K., K ogh H.V. & Thing H. 1980. Summe mo ali y among
ca ibou cal es in Wes G eenland. No d Ve . Med. No. 31: 291-300.
Cuyle C. 2007. Wes G eenland ca ibou explosion: Wha happened? Wha abou he u u e?
P oceedings o he 11 h No h Ame ican Ca ibou Wo kshop, Jaspe , Albe a, Canada, 23-
27 Ap il 2006. Rangi e , Special Issue No. 17: 219-226.
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., 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.
50
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 2006, 1) Ame alik, 2) Qeqe a sua siaa . G eenland
Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces. Technical epo No. 67. 143 pp. (Pa I: 1-74; Pa II: 75-
143).
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 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 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., Whi e R.G., Lewis K., Soullie e C., Gunn A., Russell D.E. & Daniel C. 2012. A e
wa bles and bo s ela ed o ep oduc i e s a us in Wes G eenland ca ibou? 13 h No h
Ame ican Ca ibou Wo kshop. 25-28 Oc obe 2010, Winnipeg, Mani oba, Canada. In:
Rangi e , Special Issue No. 20: 243-257.
Cuyle 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.
DMI. 2014. www.dmi.dk
Ga es C.C., Adamczewski J. & Mulde s R. 1986. Popula ion dynamics, win e ecology and
social o ganiza ion o Coa s Island ca ibou. A c ic. 39(3): 216-222.
G ønnow B., Medlgaa d M. & Nielsen J.B. 1983. Aasi issui – he g ea summe camp.
A chaeological, e hog a ical and zoo-a chaelogical s udies o a ca ibou hun ing si e in
Wes G eenland. Meddelelse om G ønland, Man & Socie y 5: 96 pp.
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.
Ku z S., Bollinge T., B anigan M., Checkley S., Da ison T., Dumond M., Elkin B., Fo de T.,
Hu chins W., Nip ana iak A. & O sel K. 2015. E ysipelo h ix husiopa hiae associa ed wi h
ecen widesp ead muskox mo ali ies in he Canadian A c ic. Canadian Ve e ina y
Jou nal. 56: 560-563.
Landa A., Je emiassen S.R. & Ande sen R. 2000. Rensdy og moskusokse i Ingle ield Land,
No d es g ønland. Pinngo i ale i ik – G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces.
Technical Repo No. 31. 21 pp.
51
Loison A., Cuyle C., Linnell J.D.C. & Landa A. 2000. The ca ibou ha es in Wes G eenland,
1995-1998. Pinngo i ale i ik – G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces. Technical
Repo No. 28. 33 pp.
Meldgaa d M. 1986. The G eenland ca ibou – zoogeog aphy, axonomy and popula ion
dynamics. – Meddelelse om G ønland, Bioscience. 20: 1-88.
Mille F. & Gunn A. 2003. Ca as ophic die-o o Pea y ca ibou on he Wes e n Queen
Elizabe h Island, Canadian High A c ic. A c ic. 56(4): 381-390.
Pinia neq. 2016. Jag in o ma ion og angs egis e ing. Naalakke suisu , Go e nmen o
G eenland. www.sullissi ik.gl
Roby D.D. & Thing H. 1985. Beha iou o Wes G eenland ca ibou du ing a popula ion
decline. Hola c ic Ecology 8(2): 77-87.
Skjennebe g S. & Slags old L. 1968. Reind i en og dens na u g unnlag. Scandina ian
Uni e si y Books, Uni e si e s o lage . 332 pp.
Skogland T. 1985. The e ec s o densi y-dependen esou ce limi a ions on he demog aphy
o wild eindee . Jou nal o Animal Ecology. 54: 359–374.
S aaland, H., Scheie, J.O., G øndahl, F.A., Pe sen, E., Lei se h, A.B. & Holand, Ø. 1993. The
in oduc ion o eindee o B øgge hal øya, S alba d: g azing p e e ence and e ec on
ege a ion. Rangi e 13 (1): 15–19.
S a is ics G eenland. 2016. www.s a .gl
Thomas L., Buckland S.T., Rexs ad E.A, Laake J.L., S indbe g S., Hedley S.L., Bishop
J.R.B., Ma ques T.A. & Bu nham K.P. 2010. Dis ance so wa e: design and analysis o
dis ance sampling su eys o es ima ing popula ion size. J. Appl. Ecol. 47(1): 5-14.
Thing H. & Clausen B. 1980. Summe mo ali y among ca ibou cal es in G eenland. pp. 434-
437. – 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.
Tyle N. 2010. Clima e, snow, ice, c ashes, and declines in popula ions o eindee and
ca ibou (Rangi e a andus L.). Ecological Monog aphs. 80(2): 197-219.
Vibe C. 1967. A c ic animals in ela ion o clima ic luc ua ions. Meddelelse om G ønland. 170:
1-227.
Vo s L.S. & Boyce M.S. 2009. Global declines o ca ibou and eindee . Global Change Biology.
doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2009.01974.
Wa enbe g K., Danell Ö., Gaa e E. & Nieminen M. 1997. Flo a i einbei eland. – In: B.
Ekendahl and K. Bye (eds). No disk O gan o Rein o skning og A/S Landb uks o lage .
ISBN 82-529-2139-6. 112 pp.
Wi ing L. & Cuyle C. 2011. Ha es impac s on ca ibou popula ion dynamics in sou h wes
G eenland. 12 h No h Ame ican Ca ibou Wo kshop. Happy Valley/Goosebay,
Lab ado , Canada, 4-6 No embe 2008. Rangi e Special Issue No. 19: 135 – 145.
Ydemann D. & Pede sen C.B. 1999. Rensdy i Ves g ønland 1993-1996. Unpublished epo o
Pinngo i ale i ik – G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces, Nuuk, G eenland (in
Danish). 68 pp.
52
Appendix 1
2016 P o essional hun e knowledge o Sou h egion, Wes
G eenland
Th ee mee ings wi h he Nuuk Chap e o he G eenland Hun e ’s Union
(KNAPK) ook place a hei head o ice in ea ly 2016 (17, 18 Feb ua y and 23
Ma ch). The language o he mee ings was G eenlandic and Danish. This
appendix is a ai h ully ansla ed and pa aph ased documen a ion o he
knowledge and opinions p o ided by he a ending p o essional hun e s.
Con ac in o ma ion o he pa icipan s may be ob ained om he i s au ho
o his epo .
Pa icipan s
KNAPK: Nikolaj Hein ich, Mo en Hein ich, Aqqaluk Lo hsen, Aslak Jensen,
Ka l Egede, Johannes Egede, Inuk Be helsen, La s Ma hæussen,
Anqunnguaq Jose sen, S e en Ande sen, An hon Ma hæussen and
Bja ne Lybe h.
G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces: Ch is ine Cuyle , Inaluk Jakobsen,
Mala B obe g and Na uk Olsen.
Depa men o Fishe ies Hun ing and Ag icul u e: Nuka Mølle Lund.
1993-1994 Hun ing Ban
P o essional hun e s wan biologis s o ake hei knowledge se iously.
Al hough wen y- h ee yea s ago, he hun ing ban o 1993-1994 s ill ankles
p o essional hun e s. They we e no heeded by wildli e managemen . Thei
knowledge was igno ed. A ha ime hey lacked e idence/da a o suppo
hei knowledge and hei G eenlandic hun ing cul u e le hem ill equipped
o a gue hei case wi h ‘p oo s’ as pe Wes e n pa adigms. Today as always,
he hun e s a e in e es ed in main aining ca ibou abundance. Ha es
egula ion should ensu e he e a e no oo many ca ibou o oo ew. Regula
mee ings o p o essional hun e s and G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al
Resou ces biologis s o knowledge exchange would be a s ep in he igh
di ec ion. Ideas could be sha ed wi hou always being in ag eemen .
53
Ame alik knowledge
1990’s ca ibou
The e we e oo many ca ibou due o he 1993-94 hun ing p ohibi ion. –
Angunnguaq Jose sen
Ca ibou e en occu ed in Qinngo pu Bay, which oday is a subu b o Nuuk.
– La s Ma hæussen
2003 ca ibou
They we e many ca ibou in he Ame alik egion. – La s Ma hæussen
2013 & 2014 ca ibou
The ca ibou aken inside he Ame alik Fjo d in he 2013 and 2014 win e
hun ing seasons had excellen body condi ion. – Nikolaj Hein ich
2015 ca ibou
Ca ibou a e unp edic able. In he 1990’s hey we e widesp ead along he
ou e coas , bu o a pe iod, ca. 2006-2010, hey we e no . Now he e a e
many small ju eniles, so hey a e b eeding well. In 2015, o he momen , hey
a e once again ou a he coas , i.e., isible om he mou h o Ame alik Fjo d
sou h o Bukse jo d, and again om he mou h o Bukse jo d sou h o
Se milik Fjo d. By No embe -Decembe hese animals had mo ed u he
inland.
Today’s easy a ailabili y o la ge numbe s o ca ibou along he ou e coas s
has changed hun ing cus oms. Now, mos hun ing occu s on he coas . No
one goes up in o he back coun y anymo e, so he animals he e ne e see
hun e s, and a e essen ially ‘p o ec ed’. – Nikolaj Hein ich
In au umn o 2015 he e we e so many ca ibou in he Kapisilli a ea ha you
could no coun hem. The e a e mo e han be o e. – S e en Ande sen
Ca ibou abundance seems s able and animals may be ound h oughou he
en i e egion in he au umn. Du ing he u g oup sizes o 20-30 animals a e
common e e ywhe e. Fu he , ela i e o he pas , he e a e ce ainly no
ewe mo he -cal pai s. – La s Ma hæussen
In Sep embe and Oc obe , on he sou h side o Uja agssui pâ a
(no he nmos eas e n co ne Ame alik ange) ca ibou we e abundan and

54
had excellen body condi ion, e.g., 4-5 cm ump a . In Sep embe many
ca ibou we e isible along he no h sho e o Ame alik Fjo d a ound
Qâ usulik (sou h o Qô qu ). In Oc obe lo s o ca ibou we e in he lowland
a ea immedia ely eas o he bo om jo d con aining Fæ ingsha n. – Johannes
Egede
The e we e plen y o ca ibou in he i e alley sou h o he Nuaja kûa
(Ame agdla, he inne bo om o Ame alik Fjo d) du ing Augus , bu hen
none we e p esen in Sep embe , because hey mo ed sou h. – Ka l Egede
In la e Augus 2015, a g oup o 18 ca ibou we e seen on he no h side o
Alango dlia jo d (jus be o e he ‘ idal alls’). All we e ha es ed. – Aslak
Jensen & Nikolaj Hein ich
Ca ibou ha es ed up un il 1953, when I was on my i s hun , ne e
e idenced any wa ble la ae pa asi es. Howe e , hese appea ed only wo
yea s a e he 1952 elease o many [263] semi-domes ic eindee in he
I i ne a/Kapisilli a ea. – Anqunnguaq Jose sen
2016 ca ibou
On 17 Feb ua y, wel e small ca ibou we e obse ed in he lowlands
(ele a ions less han 200 m) wes o I i ne a. In he win e hun ing season,
Ma ch, ca ibou we e easy o ind in wo lowland (ele a ions less han 200 m)
a eas on he headland no h o Kapisilli . These we e he Qingua a asia alley
(eas o Ami sua ssuk Fjo d) and he a eas e n eaches o Kangiussaq Bay.
They we e also plen i ul a ound he Qô qu bay. – Johannes Egede
In Ma ch ca ibou we e plen i ul in all he lowlands (less han 200m)
su ounding he Kapisigdli Kange dlua ( jo d leading o Kapisilli ) and also
in Eqalui ilo lui Bay on sou h sho e Ame alik Fjo d (Ame agdla). Ca ibou
we e also p esen in P æs e jo d. One sho on he inne no h sho e was
skinny (no a ), while se e al sho on he ou e sou he n sho es had ca. 1.5 cm
ump a . – Inuk Be helsen
On 21 Ma ch he e we e many ca ibou along he coas sou h o Ame alik
Fjo d, e.g., a Lille Na saq and also a he Qa aja ilua Bay, whe e he ook
wo. The si ua ion was simila in P æs e jo d, whe e he ook h ee. – Nikolaj
Hein ich
55
Ame alik ca ibou abundance is inc easing, as e idenced by he no iceably
g ea e numbe o animals seen along he ou e coas when we a e sailing he
coas s o hun sea mammals. This indica es a high p obabili y ha he inland
also has many ca ibou. This win e , hun e s did no need o go u he o ill
hei ca ch. – Mo en Hein ich
Also in Ma ch, di e ences in body condi ion associa ed wi h wa ble in ec ion
in ensi y we e no ed a Bukse jo d. Midway in o Bukse jo d in a i e alley
on he sou h sho e, Ka l ook se en small bodied ones. All had poo body
condi ion (li le o no a ) and many wa ble la ae on hei backs. He ook a
u he se en big [adul ] ca ibou a he mou h o Bukse jo d on he sou h
sho e. These a e a ewe wa bles and had be e body condi ion. – Ka l Egede
2015 ege a ion
Muskoxen a e now inhabi ing he ela i ely small a ea o Nuna a suaq
(no heas e n co ne o Ame alik egion) and a e uining he ege a ion o
he ca ibou. – La s Ma hæussen
Wea he & sea ice
In he 1950’s he win e wea he was s able and cold, and he Is jo d
(inne mos God håb/Nuuk Fjo d was always ice co e ed, as was he jo d
in o Kapisilli . The e was always snow o Ch is mas. Ca ibou we e ew hen,
so hey hun ed A c ic ox ins ead.
The cold and deep snow dep h [ca. 1 m] o win e 2015 did no seem o
ad e sely a ec he ca ibou, howe e , wha does nega i ely a ec he ca ibou
a e laye s o ice o e he snow and especially co e ing he g ound i sel . I i
ains and hen eezes his is a p oblem o he ca ibou. – Anqunnguaq Jose sen
The 2013 win e hun ing season was a good yea o access o he Ame alik
ca ibou, because he e was li le sea ice o p e en sailing and he snow
dep hs we e al igh . Simila ly he 2014 win e season was good, again because
o he lack o sea ice, al hough he e was lo s o snow. – Nikolaj Hein ich
56
Qeqe a sua siaa knowledge
2015 ca ibou
In 1982 a ound he Fiskenæsse a ea, o ind ca ibou hun e s had o go all he
way inland o he Ice Cap. In 2015 hey could shoo 50 animals in one place
and basically om he boa . – Inuk Be helsen
In he 1950’s and ‘60’s you would be lucky o see one o wo ca ibou in he
G æde jo d a ea. In 2015 he e a e lo s o animals he e. Also, he e a e mo e
and mo e mo he -cal pai s. All he animals a e smalle bodied now. – Nikolaj
Hein ich
F om 2012 un il 2015, he gene al imp ession is ha ca ibou abundance,
dis ibu ion and g oup size ha e all emained ela i ely s able. In con as , he
equency o sigh ing mo he -cal pai s has inc eased. – Aslak Jensen
In he au umn hun ing seasons o 2014 and 2015, ca ibou we e doing well
(good body condi ion) and he numbe o cal es was high o e he en i e
Qeqe a sua siaa egion (Se milik Fjo d o F ede ikshåb Isblink), howe e ,
he animals we e o smalle body size and less a aid o hun e s. S e en
suppo ed hese obse a ions and added ha small bodied ca ibou we e in
he lowlands, while he big sized animals we e a up in he moun ains. The
la e came down o he lowlands only in he nigh , so ha he only chance o
ge hem was in he e y ea ly mo ning hou s o o pu sue hem in he high
moun ains. – Nikolaj Hein ich & S e en Ande sen
The p esence o wa ble la ae in ca ibou di e s. No h o Bjø nesund he
ca ibou a e in ec ed wi h wa bles, bu sou h o Bjø nesund hey a e no . The
animals sou h o Bjø nesund a e huge and possess hick ump a , and his
includes e en he cal es. – Nikolaj Hein ich & S e en Ande sen
Inside G æde jo d ca ibou wa iness o hun e s could a y widely. Abou
hal way in o he jo d some animals we e a aid o his boa ’s a i al and
o he s appea ed comple ely undis u bed. – Nikolaj Hein ich
Rega ding he ca ibou be ween Se milik Fjo d and F ede ikhåb Isblink, i you
wan big a ca ibou hen you mus go o he a ea jus no h o F ede ikshåb
Isblink. Also he ca ibou numbe has been inc easing in Bjø nesund; howe e ,
hese do no ha e as much ump a as hose nea F ede ikshåb Isblink. Wi h
57
each yea ha passes, i seems he e a e mo e and mo e ca ibou in he a eas
sou h o Bjø nesund, which has poo e ege a ion. – Nikolaj Hein ich
In 2015 hey saw ca ibou o he i s ime in he lake a ea sou h o Bjø nesund
and eas o 50°W. Ini ially he e we e 20 o 50 animals, and la e mo e we e
obse ed. – Aslak Jensen & Nikolaj Hein ich
2016 ca ibou
In he 2016 win e hun ing season, ca ibou we e p esen a he e y mou h o
G æde jo d. The ca ibou we e ha de o spo because hey hide well in his
e ain, unlike u he no h along sho es o P æs e jo d and Qa aja ilua .
Ca ibou could be seen on he no h side a he mou h o G æde jo d and he e
we e many acks on he sou h side. Thei body condi ion ( a ese es) has
ne e been so good in win e ime. The ca ibou had wa ble in ec ions bu we e
s ill a . The sea-ice ex en in G æde jo d almos eached he jo d mou h.
Almos a he edge o ha sea-ice, he e we e ca ibou acks e idencing a
la ge numbe had c ossed he jo d. They we e mo ing om no h o sou h. –
Nikolaj Hein ich
In Ma ch, all p egnan emales ha es ed on he sou h sho e o he mou h o
G æde jo d had good body condi ion ( a ese es). O he animals could ha e
up o 4 cm o ump a , while hose adul males ha lacked body a s ill
possessed lo s o muscle and appea ed o be in good condi ion. – Johannes
Egede
2015 ege a ion
Be ween Se milik Fjo d and F ede ikshåb Isblink, he ege a ion seems good.
The e has been no no iceable o e g azing o inc eased numbe o ca ibou
ails. On he sou h side o Bjø nesund, abou ½-way in, he e is an a ea
co e ed wi h lichen ma s ha was i s obse ed in 2001 (Cuyle e al. 2003).
Aslak has kep an eye on i e e since. Nei he he no Nikolaj ha e e e
obse ed mo e han h ee ca ibou o aging his a ea in summe , and ne e in
win e . The lichen ma s a e s ill in ac and lush. – Aslak Jensen & Nikolaj
Hein ich
In he summe and au umn o 2015 he e was a mush oom explosion in
ele a ions less han 200m on he islands a he mou h o Bjø nesund and
peninsula o he sou h. Mush ooms we e e e ywhe e. They sho eigh ca ibou
64
(depa u e 08.00, e u n 17:20). Coun ing o ca ibou began a Sa a and
inished a he no he n mos poin o Qeqe aussaq in Qa aja ilua bay. Boa o
sho e dis ance was ypically abou 200 m.
Pa icipan s included he ollowing om he G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al
Resou ces, p ojec leade Ch is ine Cuyle ( esea ch scien is ), So ie
Je emiassen (biology assis an ), A ild Landa (Depa men Head), Aqqalu
Rosing-As id ( esea ch scien is ), and a iend o Aqqalu, Hans Bådsgå d.
De e mining ca ibou sex & age
Al hough a spo ing scope (32 x magni ica ions) was onboa d i was unusable
owing o he mo emen and ocking o he boa . Lei z binocula s (8 x
magni ica ions) we e used o all obse a ions.
Fo his s udy, posi i e sex iden i ica ion was de e mined by he p esence o
absence o a ul a and/o u ine pa ch on he ump, which eliably indica es a
emale. Al hough an le size and shape is un eliable o sex and age
de e mina ion, ex emely la ge well de eloped an le s always indica e a
ma u e bull. Smalle hinne an le s wi h a de ini e o wa d-poin ing ‘a ack’
aspec can be ju enile males. Simila an le s bu wi h a backwa d- lip o he
op poin a e ypically adul emales. Gene al body shape ( ec angula
emale, ‘V’ male) and longe ace/head on ma u e males can also aid sex and
age de e mina ion.
We assigned only wo age classes: cal (age  6-mon hs) and adul (age > 1-
yea ). Bo h we e de e mined by body size, since 6-mon h old cal es o bo h
sexes a e smalle han all o he age classes in Oc obe . Obse a ions p o ide
pe cen age o cal es wi hin he o al numbe o ca ibou seen and cal
ec ui men , which is he a io o cal es pe 100 cows. G oup size was based
on p oximi y o g oup cohesion du ing a ligh esponse.
Resul s
Wea he & snow condi ions
Sunny and clea all day, li le wind, ai empe a u e app oxima ely -4C. A
ela i ely hin laye o snow co e ed much o he e ain, albei in a pa chy
manne . Only he idal zone, boulde s and s eep moun ain cli s we e snow-
ee. Making no es and obse a ions ook mo e ime han expec ed owing o
he la ge numbe s o ca ibou. The e o e he e was no ime enough o sail he

65
planned ou e, which would ha e aken us all he way sou h o U o qa miu ,
a he mou h o he Bukse jo d.
Ca ibou numbe
Al eady beginning a Lille Na saq (abandoned hamle abou 20 km sou h o
Nuuk) ca ibou we e no iceably abundan . The e we obse ed 133 in he nea
icini y o he buildings. The en i e minimum coun ne ed a o al o 955
ca ibou (Table 5) which we e by and la ge wi hin 300-500 me e s o he
sho eline along a 34 km s e ch o coas sou h o Nuuk (Fig. 13). G oup size
a e aged 12.6 ± 19.4, median was 6, maximum was 111 ca ibou and minimum
was one (Table 6).
Figu e 14. Numbe ed ca ibou obse a ions, g oups (

), a eas ( ed ha ching), 28 Oc obe 1998. Two
ca ibou had an le s caugh in piles o ishne a Qa aja summe houses (▲
▲
21). Table 6 con ains
co esponding de ails o each obse a ion numbe . Ele a ions be ween 0 and 200 m a e g een; o e
200 m a e yellow.
Table 5 Ca ibou minimum coun and demog aphics, 28 Oc obe 1998, om a subsec ion o he
Ame alik popula ion, Sou h egion, Wes G eenland.
Ca ibou sex & age
Pe cen age1
Obse ed
Female adul
43.9 %
107
Cal (age < 6 mon hs)
31.1 %
76
Male adul
25.0 %
61
Unknown sex & age
-
711
TOTAL
100 %
955
1 Only o hose sexed and aged
73.5
kilome e s
35
Qa aja ilua
Bay
36
37
0
Qeqe aussaq
34
27 33
32
31
29
26
28
30
21 22
19
25
23
24
15
16
20
Lille Na saq
13
9
10
11
12
17
14
18
5
67
8
2Sa a
3
1
4
66
Demog aphics
The simila i y o an le g ow h be ween ma u e emales and ju enile males
made posi i e sexing and ageing by iden i ying a ul a pa ch oo ime
consuming o he numbe o animals in ol ed. This and also he long
obse a ion dis ances, la ge g oup sizes, and g oup mo emen s mixing
animals abou , made i only possible o de ini i ely sex and age 244 o he
o al 955 ca ibou seen (Table 5). Au umn cal ec ui men was 71 cal es pe
100 cows. The bull o cow a io was 57 bulls o e e y 100 cows.
Many ca ibou we e immedia ely abo e he idal zone o beaches. They
appea ed o be ea ing g asses g owing a he sho eline and on he g assy
mounds o pas human habi a ion. Ca ibou ha had been eeding on wha
appea ed o be g asses nea he wo Qa aja summe houses (Fig. 13, yellow
iangle no.21) had le behind ap ico colou ed u ine e e ywhe e in he
su ounding snow. The g ass species was iden i ied as Calamag os is spp
(Danish ø h ene; G eenlandic, sio paaluk).
Pel colou a ia ion
Al hough mos ca ibou seen possessed colo a ion no mal o wild indigenous
ca ibou, s ill he e we e many wi h an o e all unusually da k pelage. Also,
one all whi e animal and wo nea all whi e ca ibou we e obse ed.
An le s
App oxima ely 10 o 12 ma u e bulls (age > 4-yea s) had al eady los hei
an le s. One ma u e bull had los only one an le . Mos adul s had an le s
including he emales, whe he wi h a cal -a -heel o no . The cal es
hemsel es o en had no iceably long an le pegs. The majo i y o adul
emales possessed wo an le s, which ypically we e as well de eloped as
an le s on sub-adul males (age 2-3 yea s).
Dea h by ishne
Two ca ibou we e ound wi h hei an le s en angled in ishing ne s. One was
dead. This was he only dead ca ibou we obse ed. Fish ne s had been s o ed
on land abo e he ide line on bo h sides o he li le Qa aja co e whe e he e
we e wo summe houses. In each ins ance he ne s we e loosely piled in o a
la ge mound. On he wes -side o his iny co e was a emale ha had died
ecen ly, i.e. wi hin he pas 2-12 hou s, o a wis ed and b oken neck. Ra ens
had only jus begun o eed a he anal egion, he mou h and nose being
67
wis ed unde he neck and head we e as ye in ac . On he eas -side o he
co e, a young male was en angled. He was ali e. We eed him.
Vege a ion
The ca ibou appea ed o be eeding upon a all g ass ha g ew a he
sho eline and a ound he g assy mounds o pas and p esen human
habi a ion. We ook a g ass sample, which was la e iden i ied as
Calamag os is spp. (Danish ø h ene; G eenlandic, sio paaluk).
Miscellaneous Wildli e Obse a ions
We also obse ed wo sea eagles (Haliae us albicilla). These we e on he no h
side o he Qa aja ilua Bay. Se e al ha p seals (Phoca g oenlandicus) poked
hei heads up abo e he sea su ace. Ra ens (Co us co ax) we e nume ous a
se e al si es.
Table 6. Raw da a1 o numbe ed ca ibou loca ions igu e 13. 28 Oc obe 1998.
ID
Time
G oup
size
Unknown
sex & age
Cow
adul
Cal
Bull
adul
Ca ibou
Dis ance
o sho e
(m)
1
09:40
4
0
0
0
4
≤ 20
2
09:43
7
6
1
≤ 300
3
09:46
8
4
2
2
0
≤ 300
4
09:50
81
13
35
20
13
≤ 100
5
10:30
5
5
≤ 100
6
10:38
8
8
≤ 10
7
8
8
10-50
8
7
5
1
1
0
10-50
9
5
5
10-50
10
23
23
≤ 100
10
6
6
≤ 100
10
14
14
≤ 100
10
2
2
≤ 100
10
2
2
≤ 100
10
2
2
≤ 100
11
28
7
10
8
3
10-5
12
6
6
10-5
13
3
3
10-50
13
2
2
10-50
13
1
1
10-50
13
3
3
10-50
13
7
7
10-50
14
17
17
10-50
68
15
5
5
10-50
16
6
0
3
2
1
10-50
17
4
0
2
2
0
≤ 100
18
18
18
≤ 300
19
7
7
≤ 300
20
6
6
≤ 300
21
11:30
1
0
0
0
1
5
22
2
0
1
0
1
≤ 300
23
9
0
4
4
1
≤ 300
23
6
0
5
1
0
≤ 300
23
4
0
0
0
4
≤ 300
24
12:30
80
80
≤ 300
25
12:30
5
1
1
1
2
≤ 300
26
12:30
8
0
4
4
0
≤ 300
27
12:30
20
20
≤ 300
28
12:30
12
11
1
≤ 300
29
4
0
0
0
4
≤ 300
30
7
0
3
3
1
≤ 300
31
5
0
3
2
0
≤ 300
31
2
0
1
1
0
≤ 300
31
2
0
1
1
0
≤ 300
31
1
0
0
0
1
≤ 300
31
5
0
2
2
1
≤ 300
31
2
0
1
1
0
≤ 300
31
2
0
0
0
2
≤ 300
31
4
0
2
2
0
≤ 300
32
7
7
≤ 300
33
54
54
≤ 300
33
50
50
≤ 300
33
2
0
0
0
2
≤ 300
33
7
0
0
0
7
≤ 300
33
3
0
0
0
3
≤ 300
33
4
0
1
1
2
≤ 300
34
6
6
≤ 300
34
1
1
≤ 300
34
7
7
≤ 300
34
27
27
≤ 300
34
8
0
4
4
0
≤ 300
34
7
0
3
3
1
≤ 300
34
111
111
≤ 300
34
50
50
≤ 300
34
14
14
≤ 300
35
15:00
13
13
≤ 500
35
15:00
7
7
≤ 500
35
15:00
3
3
≤ 500
69
35
15:00
30
30
≤ 500
35
15:00
16
16
≤ 500
35
15:00
1
1
≤ 500
36
22
4
9
5
4
≤ 500
37
1
1
≤ 500
37
4
4
≤ 500
37
16
0
9
6
1
≤ 500
37
15:50
8
8
≤ 500
TOTALS
955
711
107
76
61
ALL
Unknown
COW
CALF
BULL
1 Blank cells indica e whe e he e was no da a eco ded o unknown. Whe e ze os occu indica es no
animals o ha sex o age.
Discussion
Ame alik ca ibou a e a gene ic mix o indigenous wild ca ibou (Rangi e
a andus g oenlandicus) and No wegian semi-domes ic eindee (Rangi e
a andus a andus) and his was e lec ed in he a ie y o pel colou s among
indi iduals. Mos possessed he usual pelage common o indigenous ca ibou,
howe e , whi e, nea all whi e as well as many ha had an un a ying o e all
da k b own pel also we e obse ed.
The well de eloped an le g ow h on emales was in sha p con as o wha is
ypical o emale ca ibou obse ed on Akia-No dlande , which seldom ha e
bo h an le s, i any a all (Cuyle unpublished). (Ca ibou on Akia-No dlande ,
which is opposi e Nuuk o he no h, belong o wha is now known as he Akia-
Manii soq popula ion). Being he 28 h o Oc obe , he peak pe iod o he
au umn b eeding u would ha e inished. So se e al ma u e males (age > 4-
yea s) ha ing al eady d opped a leas one an le was no su p ising.
Unco e ed ishne s o ed in piles a he sho e can en angle he an le s o
ca ibou and cause mo ali y. Since ca ibou appea o ac i ely seek he o age
su ounding summe houses, we ecommend ha piles o old o unused
ishne s should be secu ely co e ed, e.g., by a paulin, o bu n . Al e na i ely,
disca ded ishne s could be e u ned o Nuuk o disposal a he municipali y
incine a o .
This s udy obse ed 955 ca ibou ha belonged o he Ame alik popula ion.
The au umn cal pe cen age and ec ui men ( espec i ely 31% and 71 pe 100
cows) indica e ha bo h cal p oduc ion and su i al is op imal and high. The
bull o cow a io may be a e lec ion o he bull only ha es ing o e he pas

70
ou yea s. We do no expec he a io o impede o educe concep ion among
cows.
Mos ca ibou we e obse ed wi hin 500 me e s o he sho eline, and many
we e wi hin 100 me e s. Since he leng h o sho eline was 34 km, hen a
maximum es ima e o he a ea su eyed would be app oxima ely 17 km2 (0.5
x 34 km), which would gi e a conse a i e densi y o 56.2 ca ibou pe km2.
This suppo s he nume ous epo s in 1998 by local hun e s ha he e we e
‘many’ ca ibou sou h o Nuuk. The densi y 56/km2 can only be ega ded as
eno mous. Ame alik ca ibou a e known o agg ega e in g oups numbe ing
hund eds o animals. This is he di ec esul o hei e al semi-domes ic
eindee he i age. Thus we do no assume his densi y applies o he en i e
12,800 km2 a ea o he Ame alik egion. Rega dless, 56.2 ca ibou / km2 a e no
compa ible wi h sus ainable ca ibou g azing on he ege a ion and lichens.
Wha we obse ed is 46x la ge han he ecommended a ge densi y o 1.2
ca ibou/km2. O e g azing will occu .
Conclusions
In la e Oc obe 1998, he e we e many ca ibou sou h o Nuuk along he sea
sho e. Ca ibou densi y was abno mally high and would quickly cause
o e g azing. Cal p oduc ion among he obse ed ca ibou sugges s ha he
1998 Ame alik popula ion had he po en ial o an explosi e g ow h in
numbe s.
71
Appendix 4
1998 Field epo : Ca ibou win e mo ali y, nea Nuuk a ea
By Ch is ine Cuyle , So ie Ru h Je emiassen & Vi us Nielsen
In oduc ion
In Ma ch and Ap il 1998, he G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces
(GINR) ecei ed se e al elephone calls om agi a ed locals. All had obse ed
many dead ca ibou a se e al loca ions sou h o he capi al ci y Nuuk (64° 10’
27.34”N, 51° 44’ 9.87”W). These included he bo om o Kobbe jo d, he
Kingi o suaq (Hjo e akken) Moun ain, he Ugpik bay/ jo d a ea, and he
bo om o Bukse jo d (Fig. 14). A he i s wo loca ions some ca casses we e
close o sho e and o he s on he moun ainsides, bu all we e isible om he
sho e. A Bukse jo d he dead ca ibou we e epo ed ozen in o he jo d sea
ice. The e we e 20 isible ca ibou ca casses, cu led up as i sleeping, and
se e al ‘holes’ whe e u he bodies may ha e been and al eady sunk h ough
he hin ice (Jens Bje ge pe s comm.). Fo he i s ime in li ing memo y, la ge
numbe s o dead ca ibou we e being seen in he Nuuk egion. The locals
oiced hei conce n ha he ca ibou had s a ed o dea h, because ca ibou
abundance appea ed high in nea sho e a eas. Fo example locals ou sailing
would always spo a numbe o ca ibou on any boa ip.
Pu pose
The goal o his in es iga ion was o ind ou how many ca ibou had died,
whe e hey had died and he cause(s), which could include disease, acciden s,
s a a ion and poaching.
Me hods
Biology assis an So ie Ru h Je emiassen led he sample collec ion. The
G eenland Fishe ies and Licensing Con ol (GFLK) p o ided hei Nuuk
Conse a ion O ice , Vi us Nielsen and his assis an Jokum, and he wo
GFLK boa s used.
We made wo boa ips. We sailed sou h o Nuuk on 20 Ap il 1998 in an 18
oo aluminum ou boa d open do y and scou ed he bo om o Kobbe jo d,
abou he Kingi o suaq Moun ain and hen he Ugpik bay/ jo d. The second
ip was 14 May 1998 when we sailed a la ge 25 oo cabin boa in o he
72
bo om o Bukse jo d and also scou ed he Qeqe aussaq sho eline. We scanned
he sho es and moun ains wi h binocula s (8 x magni ica ions) o loca e
ca ibou ca casses, and hen wen asho e o collec ca cass samples and da a.
Ca cass da a collec ed included Global Posi ioning Sys em (GPS) loca ion,
ele a ion and commen s ega ding possible cause o dea h. Samples collec ed
we e he mandibles, me aca pus ( o eleg) and me a a sus (hind leg) when
hese emained a he ca cass si e.
Figu e 15. Place names ele an o he ca ibou ca cass loca ions sou h o Nuuk in Ap il-May 1998.
Figu e 16. Ca ibou ca cass loca ions sou h o Nuuk in Ap il-May 1998.
10
Kange dlua ssunguup ase ssua
20
kilome e s
Bukse jo d
Hyd o-powe
S a ion
Ame alik jo d
0
Bukse jo d
Nuuk
(430 m)
Lille Na saq
Qeqe aussaq
Ugpik
(Hjo e akken)
Kobbe jo d
Kingi o suaq
(1188 m)
Bukse jo d
20 dead on sea ice
7-9 dead unde snow
A
B
#'s 6, 7
#1
Nuuk
#'s 8, 9, 10
#'s 2, 3, 4, 5
(sho dead)
#'s 11, 12, 13, 14
#'s 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
20010
kilome e s
73
Table 7. Raw da a1 on ca ibou ca casses loca ed in Ap il-May 1998 on sea coas sou h o Nuuk; emale
(F), male (M), unknown (-).
Da e
ID
Sex
Age
class
Loca ion
Ele a ion
La i ude
Longi ude
20 Ap
1
F
Adul
Kingi o suaq
-
64° 6’ 48.6”
51° 36’ 48.6”
20 Ap
2
M
Ju enile
Kingi o suaq
-
64° 6’ 3.5”
51° 35’ 10.5”
20 Ap
3
M
Adul
Kingi o suaq
-
64° 6’ 3.5”
51° 35’ 10.5”
20 Ap
4
-
-
Kingi o suaq
-
64° 6’ 3.5”
51° 35’ 10.5”
20 Ap
5
F
Ju enile
Kingi o suaq
-
64° 6’ 3.5”
51° 35’ 10.5”
20 Ap
6
-
-
Kingi o suaq
-
64° 6’ 16”
51° 34’ 2.2”
20 Ap
7
F
Ju enile
Kingi o suaq
-
64° 6’ 16”
51° 34’ 2.2”
20 Ap
8
M
Adul
Ugpik
10 m
64° 5’ 44.3”
51° 33’ 18.1”
20 Ap
9
M
Adul
Ugpik
10 m
64° 5’ 44.3”
51° 33’ 18.1”
20 Ap
10
M
Adul
Ugpik
10 m
64° 5’ 44.3”
51° 33’ 18.1”
14 May
11
F
Adul
Qeqe aasaq
105 m
63° 56.254’
51° 26.050’
14 May
13
-
Cal
Qeqe aasaq
105 m
63° 56.254’
51° 26.050’
14 May
12
M
Adul
Qeqe aasaq
105 m
63° 56.254’
51° 26.050’
14 May
14
-
Cal
Qeqe aasaq
105 m
63° 56.254’
51° 26.050’
14 May
15
M
Adul
Qeqe aasaq
18 m
63° 56.497’
51° 26.068’
14 May
16
M
Adul
Qeqe aasaq
18 m
63° 56.497’
51° 26.068’
14 May
17
M
Adul
Qeqe aasaq
18 m
63° 56.497’
51° 26.068’
14 May
18
M
Adul
Qeqe aasaq
18 m
63° 56.497’
51° 26.068’
14 May
19
M
Adul
Qeqe aasaq
18 m
63° 56.497’
51° 26.068’
May
A
-
-
Bukse jo d ice
0 m
63° 55’ 25”
50° 57’ 46”
June
B
-
-
Bukse jo d
-
63° 56’ 43”
50° 51’ 13”
1 Now co ec ed o o iginal da a en y e o s on sex and age.
Resul s
In o al, 19 dead ca ibou we e ound (Fig. 15, Table 7). Owing o ac i i y by
sca enge s, e.g., a ens and gulls, ypically li le bu bones emained by he
ime we isi ed he si es. On Ap il 20, se en ca ibou skele ons we e loca ed in
he Kingi o suaq a ea on he Hjo e akken Moun ain. The cause o dea h was a
snow a alanche. Nea by in Ugpik, he skele ons o h ee la ge ma u e bull
ca ibou we e ound. All h ee had been sho dead and hei hind legs
emo ed. The bo om o Kobbe jo d was ull o sea ice and he e o e could no
be eached by boa o scou ing. By 14 May when we made ou second boa
ip, he jo d ice in he bo om o Bukse jo d was b eaking up and mel ing.
The epo ed 20 ca ibou ca casses had disappea ed. Ou scou ing o he sea
sho e and cli s in Bukse jo d e ealed no u he ca casses. Lea ing he
mou h o Bukse jo d, we obse ed abou 10 ca ibou walking down ou o he
80
9 Ma
60
le
2
1
30
776
64.587
-50.0891
9 Ma
60
igh
1
0
50
740
64.5873
-50.0828
9 Ma
60
le
1
0
250
684
64.5883
-50.0669
9 Ma
60
le
5
2
500
684
64.5883
-50.0669
9 Ma
60
igh
5
2
100
626
64.5957
-49.9723
9 Ma
60
igh
4
1
300
626
64.5957
-49.9723
9 Ma
60
igh
1
0
0
626
64.5957
-49.9723
9 Ma
60
le
1
0
100
626
64.5957
-49.9723
9 Ma
60
le
5
0
500
569
64.5962
-49.9615
9 Ma
60
le
2
1
200
569
64.5962
-49.9615
9 Ma
60
le
9
0
500
530
64.5972
-49.9529
9 Ma
60
le
1
0
350
530
64.5972
-49.9529
9 Ma
60
0
5
2
0
507
64.5983
-49.9453
9 Ma
60
0
6
2
0
508
64.5987
-49.9419
9 Ma
60
igh
1
0
300
513
64.5989
-49.9404
9 Ma
60
le
1
0
600
579
64.5999
-49.9402
9 Ma
60
0
2
1
0
684
64.6007
-49.92
9 Ma
60
le
2
1
20
684
64.6007
-49.92
9 Ma
60
igh
1
0
0
603
64.6014
-49.9043
9 Ma
60
igh
11
3
100
603
64.6014
-49.9043
9 Ma
60
igh
1
0
50
603
64.6014
-49.9043
9 Ma
60
le
4
1
50
568
64.6016
-49.8992
9 Ma
60
le
3
1
500
539
64.6019
-49.8954
9 Ma
60
igh
1
1
50
469
64.6034
-49.8733
9 Ma
60
igh
1
0
200
462
64.6042
-49.8635
9 Ma
60
le
2
1
150
334
64.6063
-49.821
9 Ma
60
le
2
0
250
334
64.6063
-49.821
9 Ma
60
0
4
2
0
317
64.6073
-49.8091
9 Ma
60
0
2
0
0
317
64.6073
-49.8091
9 Ma
60
le
2
0
150
317
64.6073
-49.8091
9 Ma
60
igh
3
0
300
336
64.6082
-49.8019
9 Ma
60
igh
5
0
100
353
64.6085
-49.7999
9 Ma
60
le
2
0
20
353
64.6085
-49.7999
9 Ma
60
igh
2
1
300
423
64.6091
-49.7952
9 Ma
60
le
6
0
0
423
64.6091
-49.7952
9 Ma
59
le
1
0
100
829
64.565
-49.5373
9 Ma
59
le
2
1
100
840
64.5642
-49.5486
9 Ma
59
le
2
1
500
818
64.5597
-49.6102
9 Ma
59
igh
3
0
0
770
64.558
-49.6272
9 Ma
59
igh
1
0
300
718
64.5561
-49.6444
9 Ma
59
igh
2
1
200
718
64.5561
-49.6444
9 Ma
59
igh
1
0
100
718
64.5561
-49.6444
9 Ma
59
le
3
1
300
713
64.5558
-49.6498
9 Ma
59
le
6
0
150
1228
64.541
-49.8669
9 Ma
59
le
2
1
100
1228
64.541
-49.8669

81
9 Ma
59
le
8
0
300
1228
64.541
-49.8669
9 Ma
59
0
2
1
0
1074
64.5396
-49.8733
9 Ma
59
le
2
1
300
1049
64.5392
-49.8884
9 Ma
59
le
1
0
20
1029
64.5357
-49.9376
9 Ma
59
igh
2
0
0
970
64.5335
-49.9542
9 Ma
59
igh
3
1
0
978
64.53
-49.9958
9 Ma
59
igh
1
0
0
978
64.53
-49.9958
9 Ma
59
le
2
1
150
915
64.5286
-50.0092
9 Ma
59
igh
4
0
800
903
64.528
-50.0185
9 Ma
58
le
2
1
100
264
64.467
-49.9695
9 Ma
58
le
2
1
200
264
64.467
-49.9695
9 Ma
58
igh
5
2
200
327
64.4688
-49.9654
9 Ma
58
le
4
2
0
716
64.4731
-49.8931
9 Ma
58
igh
2
0
100
631
64.4742
-49.8741
9 Ma
58
igh
1
0
100
631
64.4742
-49.8741
9 Ma
58
le
1
0
30
646
64.4786
-49.8185
9 Ma
58
le
2
1
20
736
64.4814
-49.7876
9 Ma
58
igh
3
1
50
846
64.4871
-49.7035
9 Ma
58
igh
2
1
100
832
64.4884
-49.6894
9 Ma
58
le
7
2
300
722
64.4901
-49.6672
9 Ma
58
igh
2
0
300
738
64.4904
-49.6614
9 Ma
58
0
3
1
0
688
64.4908
-49.6557
9 Ma
58
le
2
1
200
572
64.4927
-49.6334
9 Ma
58
0
2
1
0
558
64.4982
-49.5563
9 Ma
58
le
1
0
500
638
64.5001
-49.5315
9 Ma
58
le
2
0
200
720
64.503
-49.4934
9 Ma
57
le
1
0
200
959
64.4387
-49.5133
9 Ma
57
le
4
1
0
959
64.4387
-49.5133
9 Ma
57
igh
3
0
200
933
64.4379
-49.5222
9 Ma
57
igh
2
0
20
886
64.4365
-49.5383
9 Ma
57
igh
1
0
0
758
64.4341
-49.5813
9 Ma
57
le
1
0
500
707
64.4308
-49.6254
9 Ma
57
le
4
1
250
708
64.4304
-49.6333
9 Ma
57
le
2
1
300
778
64.4295
-49.6522
9 Ma
57
le
3
0
300
778
64.4295
-49.6522
9 Ma
57
le
2
0
200
698
64.4273
-49.6834
9 Ma
57
le
3
0
0
698
64.4273
-49.6834
9 Ma
52
le
12
0
550
144
64.4033
-49.9764
9 Ma
52
le
1
1
300
419
64.3752
-50.3458
9 Ma
51
0
4
2
0
318
64.3498
-49.8488
9 Ma
51
igh
7
1
250
318
64.3498
-49.8488
9 Ma
51
igh
5
0
300
354
64.3501
-49.8611
9 Ma
51
igh
4
1
300
354
64.3501
-49.8611
9 Ma
51
le
1
1
50
421
64.3497
-49.8676
9 Ma
51
le
3
1
250
964
64.3425
-49.9572
82
9 Ma
51
le
4
2
100
925
64.3408
-49.982
9 Ma
51
igh
12
1
150
219
64.3233
-50.2028
9 Ma
51
0
6
2
0
538
64.3121
-50.3607
9 Ma
50
le
8
0
500
701
64.2714
-50.0372
9 Ma
50
le
2
1
250
701
64.2714
-50.0372
9 Ma
50
igh
2
1
200
723
64.2724
-50.0261
9 Ma
50
le
4
2
100
723
64.2724
-50.0261
9 Ma
50
igh
3
0
0
920
64.2808
-49.9469
9 Ma
50
igh
2
1
200
823
64.2824
-49.9209
9 Ma
50
igh
8
2
550
790
64.2827
-49.9139
9 Ma
50
igh
8
2
100
728
64.2865
-49.8557
9 Ma
50
igh
4
2
100
724
64.2904
-49.8016
9 Ma
56
0
0
9 Ma
55
0
2
1
0
929
64.3887
-49.3297
9 Ma
55
le
2
1
500
959
64.3889
-49.324
9 Ma
54
igh
1
0
20
802
64.3152
-49.4669
9 Ma
54
0
2
1
0
761
64.3125
-49.4987
9 Ma
54
igh
3
1
100
770
64.3124
-49.5002
9 Ma
54
igh
2
1
300
834
64.3123
-49.5088
9 Ma
54
igh
2
0
10
861
64.3114
-49.527
9 Ma
54
igh
1
0
150
859
64.3101
-49.5426
9 Ma
54
igh
1
0
250
853
64.31
-49.5477
9 Ma
49
le
2
1
350
709
64.2344
-49.7187
9 Ma
49
le
6
2
0
593
64.2275
-49.7962
9 Ma
49
igh
11
0
0
553
64.2269
-49.805
9 Ma
49
le
3
0
400
553
64.2269
-49.805
9 Ma
49
le
4
1
250
553
64.2269
-49.805
9 Ma
49
le
3
1
800
553
64.2269
-49.805
9 Ma
49
le
5
0
500
553
64.2269
-49.805
9 Ma
49
le
6
0
600
300
64.2235
-49.8485
9 Ma
49
le
2
1
150
361
64.2223
-49.8663
9 Ma
49
le
7
0
500
349
64.2216
-49.8723
9 Ma
49
le
2
1
150
339
64.2206
-49.8837
9 Ma
49
le
2
1
150
231
64.2179
-49.9176
9 Ma
49
le
7
2
50
245
64.2166
-49.9344
9 Ma
49
igh
9
2
20
250
64.215
-49.9532
9 Ma
49
le
1
0
250
268
64.2146
-49.9594
9 Ma
49
igh
3
1
230
185
64.2125
-49.9884
9 Ma
49
le
5
2
20
167
64.2118
-49.9955
9 Ma
49
igh
5
1
150
222
64.2105
-50.0154
9 Ma
49
igh
2
0
250
230
64.2103
-50.0197
9 Ma
49
igh
2
1
300
230
64.2103
-50.0197
9 Ma
49
igh
3
0
250
230
64.2103
-50.0197
9 Ma
49
igh
14
0
0
236
64.2097
-50.0392
9 Ma
49
igh
2
1
100
199
64.2095
-50.0422
83
9 Ma
49
igh
2
0
250
110
64.2085
-50.0525
9 Ma
49
le
3
0
250
110
64.2085
-50.0525
9 Ma
49
igh
2
1
0
89
64.2068
-50.0618
9 Ma
49
le
8
2
200
89
64.2068
-50.0618
9 Ma
49
le
2
1
10
91
64.2065
-50.072
12 Ma
62
igh
3
1
50
723
64.2605
-50.7644
12 Ma
62
le
11
2
650
536
64.2781
-50.582
12 Ma
38
igh
1
0
30
198
63.67716
-51.3682
12 Ma
38
igh
2
0
100
198
63.67716
-51.3682
12 Ma
38
le
3
1
500
139
63.67592
-51.4169
12 Ma
39
0
0
All
Cal
Ele a ion
(m)
Ame alik TOTALS
701
148
599
A e age ele a ion
Cal pe cen age %
21.1
280
S.D.
Sub- o al Righ
322
626
Median ele a ion
Sub- o al Le
325
1312
Maximum ele a ion
Sub- o al 0-line
54
89
Minimum ele a ion
Table 10. Qeqe a sua siaa ca ibou popula ion aw da a om ansec line su ey, Ma ch 2012. All
lines included, also hose wi h ze o ca ibou obse ed.
Da e
Line
No.
Side
To al
Ca ibou
Cal
Dis ance
o animal
(m)
App ox.
Ele a ion
(m)
La i ude
Dec.deg ee
Longi ude
Dec.deg ee
2 Ma
9
0
0
2 Ma
11
0
0
2 Ma
12
igh
6
0
50
381
63.0942
-49.7483
2 Ma
12
le
2
1
200
478
63.0999
-49.6902
2 Ma
12
le
1
0
0
549
63.0999
-49.6757
2 Ma
12
le
1
0
50
840
63.0947
-49.6083
2 Ma
13
le
3
0
352
657
63.1523
-49.6602
2 Ma
13
igh
4
1
100
816
63.162
-49.5991
2 Ma
13
le
2
0
200
835
63.1621
-49.5968
2 Ma
13
igh
7
2
200
868
63.1643
-49.5618
2 Ma
14
igh
1
0
300
848
63.2218
-49.5636
2 Ma
14
igh
1
0
200
733
63.2177
-49.6456
2 Ma
14
le
2
0
0
524
63.2145
-49.6884
2 Ma
14
le
3
1
600
524
63.2145
-49.6884
2 Ma
14
igh
4
1
250
495
63.2123
-49.7138
2 Ma
14
le
1
0
300
483
63.2072
-49.7677
2 Ma
21
igh
3
0
129
676
63.2013
-49.8436
2 Ma
21
le
3
1
20
675
63.2015
-49.8506
2 Ma
21
le
4
1
333
676
63.2016
-49.8602
2 Ma
21
le
1
0
333
676
63.2016
-49.8602
84
2 Ma
21
igh
2
1
20
688
63.2019
-49.8715
2 Ma
21
le
1
0
0
730
63.2012
-49.8829
2 Ma
21
igh
2
0
200
763
63.2002
-49.8926
2 Ma
21
le
1
1
298
797
63.1931
-49.9536
2 Ma
21
igh
3
1
210
700
63.1896
-49.9724
2 Ma
21
le
3
2
50
700
63.1896
-49.9724
2 Ma
21
le
2
0
0
682
63.1874
-49.9883
2 Ma
21
igh
3
0
200
709
63.187
-49.994
2 Ma
21
0
2
0
0
719
63.1696
-50.1676
2 Ma
21
igh
3
0
255
697
63.1568
-50.2858
2 Ma
21
le
2
1
100
587
63.1553
-50.3461
2 Ma
21
le
1
0
300
512
63.1552
-50.3533
2 Ma
21
le
2
1
0
246
63.1543
-50.3828
2 Ma
21
le
1
0
10
23
63.154
-50.4078
2 Ma
21
igh
7
0
0
134
63.1538
-50.4282
2 Ma
21
igh
1
0
150
264
63.1539
-50.4466
2 Ma
21
le
4
0
0
264
63.1539
-50.4466
2 Ma
20
0
4
1
0
388
63.0936
-50.4322
2 Ma
20
igh
2
1
150
468
63.0969
-50.3972
2 Ma
20
igh
5
0
600
567
63.1001
-50.364
2 Ma
20
igh
2
1
50
560
63.1042
-50.3133
2 Ma
15
igh
1
1
50
653
63.2417
-50.0551
2 Ma
15
le
2
0
200
741
63.2444
-50.0338
2 Ma
15
igh
6
2
20
366
63.2843
-49.6906
2 Ma
15
igh
2
0
200
446
63.2896
-49.6432
2 Ma
15
0
3
1
0
824
63.2927
-49.5492
2 Ma
16
igh
3
0
350
943
63.3627
-49.4519
2 Ma
16
igh
2
0
150
893
63.3589
-49.5155
2 Ma
16
igh
1
0
150
893
63.3589
-49.5155
2 Ma
16
igh
1
0
20
636
63.3436
-49.718
2 Ma
16
le
2
0
500
589
63.3426
-49.7282
2 Ma
16
igh
4
1
320
509
63.3405
-49.7471
2 Ma
26
le
3
0
30
595
63.3365
-49.7913
2 Ma
26
le
4
0
30
595
63.3365
-49.7913
2 Ma
26
0
1
0
0
602
63.3361
-49.8008
2 Ma
26
igh
2
1
180
581
63.3358
-49.8052
2 Ma
26
igh
4
0
200
557
63.3356
-49.8088
2 Ma
26
igh
4
0
100
540
63.3348
-49.818
2 Ma
26
igh
2
1
150
555
63.3343
-49.8218
2 Ma
26
le
2
0
500
575
63.3318
-49.8478
2 Ma
25
0
0
2 Ma
23
le
2
0
279
515
63.2063
-50.5037
2 Ma
23
le
2
0
0
487
63.2073
-50.4953
2 Ma
23
le
3
0
400
367
63.2092
-50.4557
85
2 Ma
23
igh
3
2
50
625
63.2108
-50.4366
2 Ma
23
le
1
0
232
677
63.212
-50.422
2 Ma
23
le
2
1
100
-9
63.2343
-50.2425
7 Ma
19
le
1
0
250
612
63.5097
-49.9509
7 Ma
19
le
1
0
0
572
63.5095
-49.9546
7 Ma
19
le
3
0
450
549
63.5094
-49.9573
7 Ma
19
igh
2
1
400
525
63.5092
-49.9672
7 Ma
19
igh
2
0
400
531
63.5091
-49.9705
7 Ma
17
le
2
1
800
854
63.4164
-49.56
7 Ma
17
le
1
0
50
826
63.4026
-49.7148
7 Ma
17
igh
3
1
400
790
63.4022
-49.7211
7 Ma
17
le
2
1
500
523
63.3996
-49.7523
7 Ma
9
0
10
0
50
234
62.9794
-50.2722
7 Ma
1
igh
4
2
731
20
62.5319
-50.2006
7 Ma
1
igh
3
0
731
20
62.5319
-50.2006
7 Ma
1
igh
4
2
731
20
62.5319
-50.2006
7 Ma
2
0
0
7 Ma
3
0
0
7 Ma
4
le
4
0
500
507
62.7672
-49.872
7 Ma
5
igh
3
0
500
707
62.916
-49.8016
7 Ma
5
le
4
0
600
783
62.9028
-49.7691
7 Ma
6
igh
4
0
0
1080
63.0277
-49.625
7 Ma
6
igh
2
0
500
966
63.0336
-49.642
7 Ma
6
0
2
0
0
755
63.0453
-49.6768
7 Ma
7
0
0
7 Ma
8
0
0
7 Ma
10
igh
4
0
400
891
63.0091
-49.9034
7 Ma
10
le
2
1
80
1252
62.9999
-49.9964
7 Ma
22
le
2
1
50
182
63.2022
-50.6334
7 Ma
24
le
8
0
200
139
63.2424
-50.942
7 Ma
24
le
3
0
250
139
63.2424
-50.942
7 Ma
24
le
4
0
711
139
63.2424
-50.942
7 Ma
24
le
3
1
700
222
63.2534
-50.789
7 Ma
27
igh
4
1
100
339
63.334
-50.5867
7 Ma
27
igh
1
0
250
465
63.3278
-50.6697
7 Ma
27
igh
4
1
150
254
63.3156
-50.8104
7 Ma
27
igh
1
0
50
240
63.3153
-50.8135
7 Ma
27
igh
1
0
0
240
63.3153
-50.8135
7 Ma
27
le
3
1
200
254
63.3156
-50.8104
7 Ma
27
le
5
3
300
227
63.314
-50.8264
8 Ma
33
0
0
8 Ma
32
le
2
1
500
523
63.4339
-50.9368
8 Ma
32
le
1
0
80
450
63.4246
-51.0211
8 Ma
31
igh
1
0
0
214
63.4203
-51.0759

86
8 Ma
31
le
3
1
150
180
63.4194
-51.0866
8 Ma
31
le
5
2
100
176
63.4188
-51.0936
8 Ma
31
le
4
0
0
176
63.4188
-51.0936
8 Ma
31
le
1
0
100
227
63.418
-51.1036
8 Ma
31
le
3
0
300
227
63.418
-51.1036
8 Ma
31
igh
2
1
0
302
63.4175
-51.1103
8 Ma
29
le
1
0
200
78
63.3574
-51.0618
8 Ma
29
le
10
1
220
60
63.3585
-51.051
8 Ma
29
le
3
0
800
86
63.3604
-51.0287
8 Ma
29
le
1
0
200
67
63.3667
-50.955
8 Ma
29
igh
2
0
300
58
63.3696
-50.9086
8 Ma
29
igh
4
2
200
58
63.3696
-50.9086
8 Ma
29
0
2
1
0
75
63.3704
-50.9002
8 Ma
29
igh
2
0
50
75
63.3704
-50.9002
8 Ma
29
le
4
2
50
75
63.3704
-50.9002
8 Ma
29
igh
5
2
300
88
63.3713
-50.8909
8 Ma
29
le
1
0
1000
221
63.3734
-50.8748
8 Ma
30
le
2
0
250
104
63.3843
-50.7674
8 Ma
30
le
4
1
300
215
63.3853
-50.7588
8 Ma
30
igh
2
0
0
384
63.3857
-50.7474
8 Ma
30
igh
2
1
300
454
63.3862
-50.7342
8 Ma
30
igh
11
0
600
466
63.3896
-50.6864
8 Ma
30
igh
9
0
300
466
63.3896
-50.6864
8 Ma
30
igh
7
0
200
423
63.391
-50.675
8 Ma
30
igh
6
2
200
442
63.3917
-50.6667
8 Ma
30
igh
11
3
150
477
63.3932
-50.6476
8 Ma
30
igh
6
0
125
477
63.3932
-50.6476
8 Ma
30
igh
4
1
350
448
63.3943
-50.6373
8 Ma
30
0
3
1
0
458
63.3953
-50.6306
8 Ma
30
igh
2
1
75
458
63.3953
-50.6306
8 Ma
30
igh
3
0
200
476
63.3958
-50.6253
8 Ma
30
igh
3
1
50
436
63.4126
-50.4091
8 Ma
30
igh
5
2
50
584
63.4163
-50.3611
All
Cal
Ele a ion
(m)
TOTALS
403
71
479
A e age ele a ion
Cal pe cen age %
17.6
264
S.D.
Sub- o al Righ
220
40
507
Median ele a ion
Sub- o al Le
156
27
1252
Maximum ele a ion
Sub- o al 0-line
27
4
0
Minimum ele a ion
87
Appendix 7
Raw da a 12 Ma ch 2012 demog aphics & an le s, Ame alik ca ibou
popula ion, Sou h egion, Wes G eenland
Table 11. Ame alik ca ibou su ey aw da a o demog aphics and an le possession among emales, 12
Ma ch 2012.
G oup
Size
Male
ju enile
Male
adul
Female
wi h
an le s
Female
wi h
no an le s
Cal
Loca ion
7
2
1
2
2
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
3
2
1
Nuna a suaq
4
2
2
Nuna a suaq
4
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
1
1
Nuna a suaq
4
1
2
1
Nuna a suaq
8
3
2
3
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
7
1
2
1
3
Nuna a suaq
3
1
1
1
Nuna a suaq
4
1
1
1
1
Nuna a suaq
14
2
1
7
4
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
4
1
1
2
Nuna a suaq
5
2
1
1
1
Nuna a suaq
3
2
1
Nuna a suaq
4
3
1
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
4
2
2
Nuna a suaq
3
1
2
Nuna a suaq
4
1
1
1
1
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
1
1
Nuna a suaq
3
1
2
Nuna a suaq
4
2
2
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
4
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
3
1
1
1
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
3
2
1
Nuna a suaq
3
2
1
Nuna a suaq
3
1
2
Nuna a suaq
88
3
2
1
Nuna a suaq
3
1
1
1
Nuna a suaq
3
2
1
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
2
2
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
1
1
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
6
1
3
2
Nuna a suaq
6
1
2
3
Nuna a suaq
1
1
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
3
1
1
1
Nuna a suaq
4
1
2
1
Nuna a suaq
5
1
3
1
Nuna a suaq
1
1
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
3
2
1
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
6
1
4
1
Nuna a suaq
1
1
Nuna a suaq
4
4
Nuna a suaq
1
1
Nuna a suaq
2
2
Nuna a suaq
4
4
Nuna a suaq
2
1
1
Nuna a suaq
3
1
1
1
Nuna a suaq
3
1
2
Nuna a suaq
1
1
Nuna a suaq
1
1
Nuna a suaq
2
2
Nuna a suaq
3
3
Nuna a suaq
1
1
Nuna a suaq
1
1
Is jo d
1
1
Aus mannadalen N side
2
1
1
Aus mannadalen N side
15
1
11
3
Aus mannadalen N side
4
2
2
Aus mannadalen N side
7
1
3
3
Aus mannadalen N side
2
1
1
Aus mannadalen N side
89
3
1
1
1
Aus mannadalen N side
1
1
Aus mannadalen N side
3
3
Aus mannadalen N side
9
2
5
2
Aus mannadalen N side
2
1
1
Aus mannadalen N side
1
1
Aus mannadalen N side
5
1
2
1
1
Aus mannadalen N side
10
2
1
5
2
Aus mannadalen N side
2
1
1
Aus mannadalen N side
10
2
5
3
Aus mannadalen N side
7
1
5
1
Aus mannadalen N side
7
5
2
Aus mannadalen N side
2
1
1
Aus mannadalen N side
10
3
5
2
Aus mannadalen N side
3
1
2
Aus mannadalen N side
3
1
1
1
Aus mannadalen N side
4
4
Aus mannadalen N side
4
2
2
Aus mannadalen N side
6
3
3
Aus mannadalen N side
2
1
1
Aus mannadalen N side
3
1
1
1
Aus mannadalen N side
11
3
2
6
Aus mannadalen N side
1
1
Aus mannadalen N side
6
1
3
2
Aus mannadalen N side
3
2
1
Aus mannadalen N side
11
1
2
6
2
Aus mannadalen N side
6
2
2
2
Aus mannadalen N side
2
2
Aus mannadalen N side
6
2
3
1
Aus mannadalen S side
6
2
3
1
Ame agdla-Nuaja kua
1
1
Ame agdla-Nuaja kua
6
1
2
3
1
Ame agdla-Nuaja kua
4
1
2
1
Ame agdla-Nuaja kua
3
3
Ame agdla-Nuaja kua
3
1
2
Ame agdla-Nuaja kua
11
6
5
Ame agdla-Nuaja kua
1
1
Ame agdla-Nuaja kua
1
1
Ame agdla-Nuaja kua
6
1
2
2
Ame agdla-Nuaja kua
6
1
4
1
Ame agdla-Nuaja kua
2
1
1
Ame agdla-Nuaja kua
2
1
1
Bukse jo d Hyd o Plan
1
1
Bukse jo d Hyd o Plan
24
2
4
12
6
Se milik mou h N side
96
Fu he , he numbe s o ca ibou emo ed om a popula ion canno be
ob ained om he go e nmen ’s na ion-wide Pinia neq epo ing. Pinia neq is
based solely on whe e a hun e li es. Since in any gi en hun ing season
hun e s may ha es ca ibou om se e al popula ions, he Pinia neq da abase
is o ally inadequa e a p o iding he numbe o animals emo ed om a
speci ic popula ion. I is impossible o alloca e which ca ibou we e sho om
each popula ion.
Sale o ca ibou mea
I is a widesp ead belie among he gene al public ha only p o essional
hun e s may legally sell hei ca ch, i.e., mea , ish and bi ds. The u h is
o he wise. I is legal o ec ea ional hun e s o sell hei ca ch, including
ca ibou, and e en a he local ma ke , albei only i he local municipal bylaws
allow (Sel s y e s bekend gø else n . 7 a 27 juni 2013 besky else og angs a ilde ensdy ,
§7 S k. 2: De enkel e kommune æ e beslu ninge ed . indhandling og salg på "b æ e "
o i ids ange e).
As ega ds he sale o ca ibou mea , he e is li le di e ence be ween
ec ea ional and p o essional pe mi s. The same ules apply o bo h, i.e.,
Hjemmes y e s bekend gø else n . 21 a 27 juli 1998 om le nedsmiddel i ksomhede
(chap e 1, §1. S k. 7). Bo h may sell hei ca ch di ec ly o he inal consume .
The e a e wo main ca ea s. I is illegal o s o e mea o la e sale o o
ad e ise. Ad e ising includes all o ms o public solici a ion, e.g., by
newspape , adio, TV, no ice boa ds, e-mail lis s, social media, e c. The ‘ inal
consume ’ is de ined as he pe son cooking and ea ing he ca ibou. Examples
o hose no a pa o his de ini ion would ypically include, ho el ki chens,
es au an s, hospi als, and g oce y s o es o chains. These mus equi e ha
he hun e , p o essional o ec ea ional, has a ce i ica e o ood handling and
hygiene be o e hey may buy he game o ish.
In 2013 he Ve e ina y and Food Sa e y Boa d in G eenland (Ve e inæ - og
Føde a emyndigheden i G ønland (VFMG)) began holding cou ses in ood
handling and hygiene o he ‘p ima y p oduce s’ (hun e s) wi h
e e ina ians eaching. The cou se was open o all and called Ce i ika ku sus i
hygiejne og egenkon ol o p imæ p oducen e a øde a e . Since sp ing 2016 he
cou se will be augh by he Food College G eenland (INUILI; Le nedsmiddel
Akademie Na saq) in Sou h G eenland. The cou se is now named: Hygiejne
o p imæ p oducen e . This cou se, and o he s, may be ound a he ollowing
websi e: h p://www.inuili.gl/da/Ku se /Ku se -2016

97
The cu en INUILI cu iculum is iden ical o ha o e ed by VFMG and
includes much o Hjemmes y e s bekend gø else n . 21 a 27 juli 1998 om
le nedsmiddel i ksomhede , wi h speci ically he con en s o chap e s 10 and 12
being augh . Simila o VFMG’s ce i ica ion, success ul comple ion o he
INUILI cou se pe mi s a p ima y p oduce o sell game (e.g. ed mea and
bi ds) and ish o ho el ki chens, es au an s and 24-hou ca e acili ies.
VFMG cu en ly eaches ano he cou se o p ima y p oduce s called An i
mo em ange ku sus. Designed speci ically o hun e s o ca ibou and
muskoxen, his cou se in ol es an e alua ion o indi idual animals be o e
hei being chosen o ha es . The pu pose is o mee Eu opean Union (EU)
s anda ds, which will pe mi ca cass deli e y o slaugh e acili ies ha a e
au ho ized o mea expo o he EU. To da e, ou pe sons in Kange lussuaq
(Sønd e S øm jo d) and h ee in Qaqo oq ha e aken he cou se and
ecei ed ce i ica es.
The e is an excep ion o he ‘ ule’ o inal consume . Those ho el ki chens,
es au an s and 24-hou ca e acili ies ha ing egis e ed che s/cooks al eady
au ho ized in ood handling and hygiene may buy di ec ly om p o essional
and ec ea ional hun e s wi hou equi ing he hun e o possess a ce i ica e
in ood handling and hygiene.
98
Appendix 10
Pas and ecen G eenland ca ibou popula ion es ima es & minimum coun s
Table 12. Popula ion es ima es and minimum coun s o wild ca ibou in G eenland, gi en in o de om no h o sou h la i udes1.
Ca ibou
Popula ion
Region
No.
Region
Name
1977 /
78
1993
1994
1995
1996
1999
2000
2001
2002
2005
2006
2010
20124
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
-
51,6003
-
-
90,4643
-
98,300
Akia-Manii soq
3
Cen al
5,300
3,506
3,080
6,408
6,806
-
-
46,236
-
35,807
24,000
Ame alik
4
Sou h
-
1,341
1,458
4,553
4,458+
-
-
31,880
-
-
9,680
-
11,700
Qeqe a sua siaa
5
Sou h
-
-
-
5,372
-
-
5,224
-
4,800
Qassi
6
Paamiu
-
-
-
-
-
-
196*
-
-
-
-
-
Ne ia
7
Paamiu
-
-
181
407
-
-
1,600
(332*)
-
-
-
-
-
To al G eenland
App oxima e Es ima e
-
9,000
13,000
18,000
22,000
-
-
140,0002
-
-
141,0002a
-
139,0002b
1Es ima es be ween 2000 and 2010 we e ob ained using su ey me hods and design unlike hose employed om 1993 o 1999. The e o e conclusions abou ends in popula ion size a e
inapp op ia e, because he popula ion size di e ences be ween hese wo ime pe iods a e no assumed eadily compa able. Simila ly he 2012 su ey o he Sou h egion used new su ey
me hods as compa ed o he 2000-2010 pe iod.
2 Rough sum o popula ion es ima es ob ained in 1999, 2000 and 2001.
2a Rough sum o popula ion es ima es ob ained in 2005 and 2006.
2b Rough sum o popula ion es ima es ob ained in 2010 and 2012.
3 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 popula ion o he ime pe iod
2000-2005.
4 The 2012 es ima es may ecei e an upda e ollowing a quali y-check in au umn 2016.
* Minimum coun s.
Sou ces: Ydemann & Pede sen 1999, Linnell e al. 2000, Landa e al. 2000, Cuyle e al. 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2011 and cu en s udy.
99
[Emp y page]
99
PART II
Pho og aphic eco d
Sou h egion helicop e su ey pho os 1-12 Ma ch 2012
All pho og aphs p esen ed in he i e appendices o Pa II we e aken by
Ch is ine Cuyle , and om he le on side o helicop e , which main ained
an al i ude o ca. 40 m. Dis ances (m) o ca ibou, i gi en, a e app oxima e and
es ima ed om 0-line.
Compass headings gi en: No h (N), Sou h (S), Eas (E) and Wes (W).
Appendices 11, 12, 13 and 14 – all pho og aphs we e esized o 200KB.
Appendix 15, all pho og aphs p esen ed a e unal e ed and o iginal size,
>6MB.
See Figu es 4 o 7 o ansec line loca ions.
All pho og aphs and mo e a e a ailable a ull size (>6MB) on he G eenland
Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces se e :
F:/40-59/PaFu/42/Landpa edy /24 Ae ial Su ey/2012 Sou h/Pho o DATA_Sou h Su ey
2012
Figu e 18. G oup o 24 Ame alik ca ibou on he sea ice among islands a he mou h Se milik
Fjo d on he no h side, iew S, 12 Ma ch 2012.
100
Appendix 11
Ame alik ansec line snow condi ions & opog aphy
Ame alik Sou h Region: HIGH-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 19. Line 45 lying A o B, ca. 35 ca ibou (no isible) we e o aging nea lakesho e,
iew E, 8 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 20. Line 45 lying A o B, h ee (3) ca ibou cen e pho o, iew NE, 8 Ma ch 2012.

101
Ame alik Sou h Region: HI-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 21. Line 44 lying B o A, iew SW, 8 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 22. Line 44 lying B o A, windswep ocky e ain, wo (2) ca ibou ½-way igh o
cen e pho o, iew SW, 8 Ma ch 2012.
102
Ame alik Sou h Region: HI-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 23. Line 43 lying A o B, sunny sou h- acing ocky slopes whe e ca ibou ha e been
o aging ex ensi ely, iew N, 8 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 24. Line 43 lying A o B, sunny sou h- acing ocky slopes whe e ca ibou ha e been
o aging ex ensi ely, iew NE, 8 Ma ch 2012.Backg ounds like hese educe ca ibou
sigh abili y, speci ically when he ca ibou a e s a iona y.
103
Ame alik Sou h Region: HI-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 25. Line 46 lying A o B, snow co e is minimal, iew o NE, 8 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 26. Line 46 lying A o B, snow co e is minimal, iew o NE, 8 Ma ch 2012.
104
Ame alik Sou h Region: HI-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 27. Line 47, nea s a B-poin , lying B o A, landscape windswep , iew S, 8 Ma ch
2012.
Figu e 28. Line 47, lying B o A, ou (4) ca ibou on s eep ocky slope jus below cen e in
da k shadow, iew NW, 8 Ma ch 2012.
111
Ame alik Sou h Region: HI-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 40. Line 51, op ugged, descending in o big alley, 14 ca ibou o aging in da k
willows igh o cen e, lying B o A, iews W on 0-line, 9 Ma ch 2012.

112
Ame alik Sou h Region: HI-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 41. Line 50, plen y o ba e g ound/ ock showing, lying A o B, iew NE, 9 Ma ch
2012.
Figu e 42. Line 50, ocks’ colou esembles ca ibou pelage, lying A o B, iew NE, 9 Ma ch
2012.
113
Ame alik Sou h Region: HI-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 43. Line 56, he 0-line is beside he glacie ongue, lying A o B, iew ESE, 9 Ma ch
2012.
Figu e 44. Line 56, poo snow co e and ocky e ain, lying A o B, iew NE, 9 Ma ch
2012.
114
Ame alik Sou h Region: HI-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 45. Line 55 lying A o B, iew NE, 9 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 46. Line 55, ca ibou acks & o aging on his slope, mo he wi h cal in uppe igh
quad an cen e, lying A o B, iew E on 0-line, 9 Ma ch 2012.
115
Ame alik Sou h Region: HI-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 47. Line 54, nea s a B-poin li le snow many ocks, lying B o A, iew SW, 9
Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 48. Line 54 lying B o A, iew SSW, 9 Ma ch 2012.
116
Ame alik Sou h Region: HI-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 49. Line 49, Aus mannadalen alley’s slopes d op away sha ply om 0-line making
sigh ing he many ca ibou among he willows di icul , lying B o A, iew SW, 9 Ma ch
2012.
Figu e 50. Line 49 Aus mannadalen’s sou h- acing slopes and alley bo om we e well
o aged by ca ibou, six ca ibou jus up om cen e, lying B o A, iew backwa ds SE, 9
Ma ch 2012.

117
Ame alik Sou h Region: LOW-densi y, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 51. Line 37 nea B-poin , iews i s N and hen E on 0-line, 3 Ma ch 2012.Beyond
beyond B-poin he high densi y s a um began.
118
Ame alik Sou h Region: LOW-densi y, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 52. Line 34, iew along 0-line looking E, 3 Ma ch 2012. Abo e he snow poo alley
jus E o B-poin and sou h o eas end o he Kange dlua ssungûp ase suap lake; Below he
uplands close o A-poin .
119
Ame alik Sou h Region: LOW-densi y, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 53. Line 42 lying B o A, ocky e ain has li le snow co e , iew W, 8 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 54. Line 42 lying B o A, iew SW, 8 Ma ch 2012.
120
Ame alik Sou h Region: LOW-densi y, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 55. Line 41 lying B o A, on he windswep ocks h ee (3) ca ibou a e s anding, iew
W, 8 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 56. Line 41 lying B o A, cow & cal s anding up & igh o cen e, iew SW, 8
Ma ch 2012.
127
QEQ Sou h Region: HIGH-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 68. Line 16 lying B o A, iew SW, 2 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 69. Line 19 lying B o A, aken a s a B-poin , iew W, 7 Ma ch 2012.

128
QEQ Sou h Region: HIGH-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 70. Line 19 lying B o A, iew SW, 7 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 71. Line 18 a s a A-poin , lying A o B, iew E, 7 Ma ch 2012. High angled slopes
as depic ed he e, con ound es ima ing dis ances o he ca ibou, speci ically o obse e (s) on
he down-slope side whe e he e ain apidly alls away.
129
QEQ Sou h Region: HIGH-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 72. Line 18 lying A o B, iew NE, 7 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 73. Line 17 s a B-poin , lying B o A, iew WSW, 7 Ma ch 2012.
130
QEQ Sou h Region: HIGH-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 74. Line 17 lying B o A, app oaching A-poin , iew WSW, 7 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 75. Line 28 jus a e s a B-poin , lying B o A, iew W, 7 Ma ch 2012. Go ge in
backg ound was s eep sided and deep. Main aining he 40m al i ude abo e g ound equi es
skill ul pilo ing o he helicop e , speci ically when ambien wind di ec ion and eloci y can
change ab up ly.
131
QEQ Sou h Region: HIGH-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 76. Line 28 lying B o A, iew NW down and ou he go ge o jo d, 7 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 77. Line 28 lying B o A, app oaching A-poin , iew SW, 7 Ma ch 2012.
132
QEQ Sou h Region: HIGH-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 78. Line 7 lying B o A, ocky ou c ops we e ypical, iew WSW, 7 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 79. Line 3 nea s a A-poin , lying A o B, iew SE, 7 Ma ch 2012.

133
QEQ Sou h Region: HIGH-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 80. Line 3, la ge and small boulde s sca e ed e e ywhe e we e ypical o much o his
ansec line, and educed ca ibou sigh abili y, lying A o B, iew ESE, 7 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 81. Line 2, s a a B-poin , lying B o A, iew NW, 7 Ma ch 2012.
134
QEQ Sou h Region: HIGH-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 82. Line 2 a A-poin end, iew S ac oss he ‘ la s’, 7 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 83. Line 1, jus eas o B-poin end, iew N ac oss he ‘ la s’ om he F ede ikshåb
Isblink, 7 Ma ch 2012.
135
QEQ Sou h Region: HIGH-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 84. Line 10, lying B o A, a s a B-poin , iew SW, 7 Ma ch 2012. Te ain d ops
sha ply away om he 0-line on le side o helicop e .
Figu e 85. Line 10 lying B o A, iew SW, 7 Ma ch 2012.
136
QEQ Sou h Region: HIGH-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 86. Line 22, sola gla e as lying B o A, close o s a B-poin , iew SW, 7 Ma ch
2012.
Figu e 87. Line 22, sola gla e as lying B o A, close o end A-poin , iew SW, 7 Ma ch
2012.
143
QEQ Sou h Region: HIGH-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 97. Line 30, lying A o B, iew E along 0-line, 8 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 98. Line 30, lying A o B, iew S om 0-line, 8 ca ibou and acks, 8 Ma ch 2012.

144
QEQ Sou h egion: LOW-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 99. Line 4 lying B o A, iew WNW, 7 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 100. Line 4 lying B o A, iew WNW, 7 Ma ch 2012.
145
QEQ Sou h egion: LOW-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown.
Figu e 101. Line 5 lying A o B, iew SE, 7 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 102. Line 5, app oaching end –poin , lying A o B, iew SE, 7 Ma ch 2012.
146
QEQ Sou h egion: LOW-densi y s a um, ansec s (no all) in o de lown
Figu e 103. Line 6 lying B o A, iew WNW, 7 Ma ch 2012.
Figu e 104. Line 6, lying B o A, nea ing end A-poin , 2 ca ibou eeding on s eep slope ( igh
o cen e pho o), iew WNW, 7 Ma ch 2012.
147
Appendix 13
Ca ibou eeding c a e s in snow, 1-12 Ma ch 2016.
P e e ed o aging was on sou h- acing slopes o on la s and alley bo oms.
Moun ainside slope angle e lec s ac ual, because came a was held ho izon al.
Figu e 105. Ca ibou eeding c a e s in he snow on sou h- acing slopes in he Ame alik
LOW-densi y s a um along eas e n po ion o line 37, 3 Ma ch.
148
Ca ibou eeding c a e s: Ame alik LOW-densi y s a um
Figu e 106. Ca ibou eeding c a e s in he snow on sou h- acing slopes in he Ame alik
LOW-densi y s a um along eas e n po ion o line 37, 3 Ma ch. In op pho o, h ee ca ibou
can be seen a he bo om cen e.

149
Ca ibou eeding c a e s: Ame alik LOW-densi y s a um
Figu e 107. Ca ibou eeding c a e s in he snow on sou h- acing slopes in he Ame alik
LOW-densi y s a um along eas e n po ion o line 37, 3 Ma ch.
150
Ca ibou eeding c a e s: Ame alik HIGH-densi y s a um
Figu e xx. Line 44, ca ibou eeding c a e s, Ame alik HIGH densi y s a um, 8 Ma ch.
Figu e 108. Line 43, ca ibou eeding c a e s along ocky slope o lake sho e, Ame alik HIGH
densi y s a um, 8 Ma ch.
151
Ca ibou eeding c a e s: Ame alik HIGH-densi y s a um
Figu e 109. Line 42, ca ibou eeding c a e s o e en i e slope, ou (4) ca ibou igh o cen e,
Ame alik HIGH densi y s a um, 8 Ma ch.
Figu e 110. Line 48, ca ibou eeding c a e s, Ame alik HIGH densi y s a um, 8 Ma ch.
152
Ca ibou eeding c a e s: Ame alik HIGH-densi y s a um
Figu e 111. Nuna a suaq, line 60, ca ibou eeding c a e s o e en i e sunny slope, i e (5)
ca ibou cen e, six (6) ca ibou uppe le bu s ill in sunligh , Ame alik HIGH densi y
s a um, 9 Ma ch.
Figu e 112. Nuna a suaq, line 60, ca ibou eeding c a e s h oughou ocky ough e ain,
Ame alik HIGH densi y s a um, 9 Ma ch.