Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) home range and habitat-use relationships to industrial activity in northeastern Alberta

The petroleum sector is implicated in the decline of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) populations in Alberta. Though caribou may avoid industrial activities, it is unclear what habitat they select during avoidance, or if they display avoidance at the level of their home range. Using well locations as an index, I examined if different levels of industrial activity in the West Athabasca Caribou Range influenced the size and location of home ranges on a seasonal (GPS data, 1998-1999) or annual basis (VHF data, 1992-2000), and influenced habitat selection on a seasonal basis (resource selection function analysis). Home range size, and the proportion of annual or seasonal home range overlap did not significantly differ between caribou subject to high or low industrial activity. The proportion of peatland within a home range was a significant predictor of home range size, and caribou exposed to high activity continued to select preferred habitats.