Summer Habitat Selection of Mountain Goats (Oreamnos americanus) in the Interior Wetbelt of the Northern Columbia Mountains, British Columbia, Canada

To improve chances of survival, alpine ungulates adopt strategies that reduce predation risk, maintain optimal body temperature, and increase access to abundant, high-quality forage. Coastal and Interior populations of the same species can differ in behavioral and habitat selection patterns in response to distinct precipitation regimes and geophysical environments. We analyzed the relationship between GPS radio-collar locations and landscape variables to derive probabilistic resource selection functions to identify mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) habitat selection for the summer season in the Interior Wetbelt (IWB) of the North Columbia Mountains in British Columbia, Canada. The objectives of this study were to predict relative habitat suitability of their summer habitat and delineate extent of summer range. Mountain goats selected habitats according to summering strategies similar to that of Coastal ecotypes by selecting mid-to-high elevations consistently and open areas with broken or intermittent snow cover to support thermoregulation; proximity to steep escape terrain (>90% slope); alpine and rugged terrain; and low tree and shrub cover to reduce predation risk. This analysis provides a practical tool for land managers to further evaluate habitat security, enabling more informed decisions to minimize the effects of human disturbance and adapt conservation strategies in the face of expanding human development and climate change.

Author dc:creator

• Jung, Alana

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Poole, Kim, G

• School of environment and sustainability

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Identifier URI

https://doi.org/10.25316/IR-20940

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:null:10613/29411