Woodland caribou habitat selection during winter and along migratory routes in west-central Alberta

Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) are a threatened species throughout Canada. Special management is required to ensure suitable habitat is maintained. I assessed winter and spring habitat selection patterns for caribou inhabiting the Narraway range in west-central Alberta at multiple spatial scales using resource selection functions (RSFs). In winter, caribou selected habitat patches with high area to perimeter ratios and low terrain ruggedness, and forest stands with a larger component of black spruce (Picea mariana) and greater abundance of Cladina mitis (terrestrial lichen). During the spring migratory period, caribou selected travel routes through less rugged areas that were closer to water, and rested/foraged in older forests with a greater component of pine, further from water. Arboreal lichen was more abundant at resting/foraging sites than traveling sites, suggesting importance as a food resource during migration. These RSF models are important tools that can be used in land use and conservation planning.