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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service History of Non-native Mammal Management on Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge McCrea Cobb, Wildlife Biologist Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Why introduce new animals? • New source of protein and sport hunting – “easier rugs and roasts should be available and in more places” – “improving on a paradise of game” • Domesticated species • Food for other introduced animalsNational Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Introductions in AK • Long history – Russians introduced foxes to islands in mid-1700s. • Peaked in the 1920s – AK Game Commission (1925) • FWS took lead in 1940 • State control in 1959 National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Widespread National Wildlife Refuge System (Paul 2009) Species Release Site U.S. Fish & Wildlife Release Service Date Sitka Black-tailed Deer 1887,1930, 1934 Long & Kodiak Island Black Bear c.1922 1924 Alitak Bay Muskrat 1925 NE Kodiak, Afognak Roosevelt Elk 1929 Afognak Island Snowshoe Hare Raccoon Mountain Goat ~50-80,000 (?) Spruce Island Reindeer Beaver Current Status 1925 & 1929 1934 Kodiak & Raspberry Is. Kodiak & Afognak Is. pre-1936 & 1980 Long & Kodiak Islands 1952-53 Hidden Basin, Kodiak XX ~300-350 (Chiniak Bay) ~600 (2011) ~30-50,000 (?) ~100,000 (?) Likely XX ~2,500 (2011) Marten 1952 Afognak Island ~2-3,000 (?) Mink 1952 Kodiak Island (Karluk) XX Red Squirrel 1952 Afognak & Kodiak Is. ~10-15,000 (?) Ground Squirrel ? Spruce Grouse 1957 & 1959 Woody Island XX Dall Sheep 1964-65 Kodiak Island XX Moose 1966-67 Kodiak Island XX European Wild Hog 1984 Kodiak? Marmot Island National Wildlife Refuge System 1000s XX U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Irruptive Population Growth • General trend in growth similar across many introduced populations – Limited predation – Abundant resources • Examples of this pattern worldwide – New Zealand thar – Kaibab deer National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Sitka Black-tailed Deer • 1924, ‘30, ’34: • 25 deer from SE AK to Long Island and Kodiak • 1940-50s: • Population limited to northern Kodiak • 1960-70s: • Deer disperse across Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Sitka Deer (1980s – current) • Population limited by winter conditions – High mortality during cold, wet, long winters • Harvests average ~8,000/year • ~50-80,000 deer National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Feral Reindeer • 1924: – 32 introduced to Lazy Bay, Kodiak – Managed by Akhiok residents • Herd peaked at 3,000 in 1950 • Herded until 1961 Red River 1945 National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Feral Reindeer • 1965-1990s: – Declared feral – Open season and no bag limit – same-day-airborne hunting approved • 2009: – Same-day airborne prohibited – Reclassified as “caribou” with goal of 200-500 Lichens extirpated? 3000 Estimated Abundance • 2002: 3500 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 No dedicated surveys 0 National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Roosevelt Elk • 1929: 8 calves introduced to Afognak • 1952: • ~300 elk and 1st hunt • 1960: • State assumed management National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Elk 1600 1400 Estimted Population Size • 1965: Population peaked at ~1,400 • Fluctuated with winter weather 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 1929 1939 1949 1959 1969 1979 1989 National Wildlife Refuge System 1999 2009 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Mountain Goats • Successful introduction to Baranof Island • Efforts to introduce goats to Kodiak began in 1948 • 1952-53: 18 goat introduced to Hidden Basin, Kodiak from Kenai Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Mountain Goats • Draw hunt • Increasing in south • Registration hunt 3500 3000 Minimum Count • Slow initial population growth • 2011: est. 2,500 mountain goats • Population stabilized in north 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 National Wildlife Refuge System R² = 0.98 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Kodiak Refuge Founded 1941 • “To protect the native feeding and breeding grounds of the brown bear and other wildlife” • Accompanying letter with executive order: – “provide a natural environment for other forms of wildlife such as elk, reindeer, deer, snowshoe hares, and fur animals such as beaver and muskrat” National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Early management (1940s- 1950s) • Law enforcement and maintaining populations • Conservative hunting regs and access allowed rapid growth • Evidence of impacts to landscape – Browse surveys on Afognak and Kodiak road system National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Transfer of Authority • Alaska statehood (1959) – State assumes management control of introduced mammals – First deer harvested on Refuge National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Refuge Goals Refined • ANILCA (1980) – Conserve fish and wildlife population in their natural diversities – Provide opportunities for continued subsistence uses for local residents – Comprehensive Conservation PlansNational Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Comprehensive Conservation Plan (1987) • “Natural integrity” • “Apparent naturalness” • Exotic species introduction not permitted – Not native to N.A. • Management of introduced species not explicitly stated National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Refuge Research • Estimating Deer Abundances and Impacts – Scan surveys, aerial hairpile surveys, pellet surveys, FLIR surveys, coastal surveys, alpine surveys, browse surveys • Mt. Goat surveys National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Comprehensive Conservation Plan (2006) • “Manage nonnative species to minimize impacts on native resources, while continuing to provide opportunities for harvest” • “Provide the opportunity for local residents to continue their subsistence use on the Refuge, consistent with the subsistence priority and with other refuge purposes National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Introduced Species Workshop (2000) • Interagency meeting • Priorities defined – Complete vegetation map – Study effects of deer and hare on browse – Study effects of mountain goats on alpine plant communities National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Mountain Goat Research • Management Goal – Avoid negative impacts to landscape and maintain hunting opportunities • Study Goals – Determine goat diet and feeding site selection – Develop nutritionalbased carrying capacity model – Compare results among populations National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Future Impacts? • Climate change – Milder winters • Larger introduced ungulate populations? • Greater population swings? • Habitat shifts and novel habitats • Refuges will need to adapt to a changing environment National Wildlife Refuge System U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Questions? National Wildlife Refuge System