Investigation of Limiting Factors Affecting Moose Survival in the Peace Region

This project is designed to improve understanding of the ecological factors that limit moose survival in certain portions of FWCP’s Peace Region.

The project has the following objectives:

1. Develop and manage a cost-effective study to monitor cow moose fitted with satellite collars in two areas of the Williston Basin using standardized methods, and over up to a 5-year period to collect and prepare detailed information on:

• seasonal large-scale movement;
• detailed movement relative to local landscape features to infer forage choices and behavioural mortality avoidance;
• the annual rate and seasonal timing of adult mortality and determination of the cause of death and fitness/condition upon death where possible, consistent with the Province of B.C. moose study protocols; and
• calf production and information on calf mortality to infer calf mortality agents.

2. Incorporate into the data sets for this study the results of information gathered from existing active moose collars in the Williston Basin as part of the currently ongoing Kwadacha Wolf-Moose study (information from Science Lead), and use this information to inform the study outcome.

3. This study will use techniques and methods that allow for direct comparison of information collected for the concurrent provincial moose investigations now underway by the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations. The results and insight from the provincial studies will be used, where possible, to add value to the interpretation of results from this study.

4. Incorporate opportunities to build First Nations capacity through training opportunities.

5. Where practical, employ qualified First Nations in data collection and analysis.

The capture-collar portion of this project will include safely capturing and fitting satellite collars on cow moose in the Williston Basin in preparation for a multi-year study to investigate factors affecting moose survival. The capture-collar objectives are to:

1. Capture and fit satellite collars on up to 30 cow moose, well distributed across the West Parsnip study area.

2. Capture and fit satellite collars on up to 30 moose, well distributed across the Peace study area.

3. Work in collaboration with the contractor carrying out the investigation of moose survival to facilitate timely transfer of capture data and information.

4. Where practical, employ qualified First Nations in capture and relevant data collection.

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Final Report: Executive Summary

Moose (Alces alces) are the largest member of the deer family and are an abundant and important wildlife species to First Nations and residents of northern British Columbia (BC). Recent surveys around BC have indicated declines in some populations of moose while others are stable. The Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP – Peace) identified the investigation of the factors limiting moose survival in the Williston Basin as a priority for a directed study. The overall goal of the 5 year study is to improve our understanding of the ecological factors that limit moose survival in representative portions of the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program – Peace Region. Specific objectives of the 5 year program are:

1. Develop and manage a cost-effective study to monitor cow moose fitted with GPS satellite collars in two areas of the Williston Basin using standardize methods to collect and prepare detailed information on:
   • a) seasonal movement and habitat use,
   • b) movement relative to landscape features,
   • c) causes of death, fitness and condition upon death, annual rate and seasonal timing of adult cow mortality, consistent with the Province of BC moose study protocols.
   • d) calf production, summer/winter survival and recruitment.
2. Gather and incorporate data sets from existing moose studies in the Williston Basin (Kwadacha-Ingenika Moose Study and Omineca Northern Caribou Project)
3. Employ techniques and methods directly comparable to the concurrent provincial moose project by BC Ministry of Forest, Lands and Resource Operation.
4. Incorporate opportunities to build First Nation Capacity through training opportunities.
5. Where practical, employ qualified First Nations in data collection and analysis.

This project began in the winter of 2015-2016 in two study areas: the West Parsnip and the Moberly. We are currently in year 2 of the 5 year project and are working collaboratively with other ongoing moose projects in the Province (Kuyzk et al. 2016). This progress report is preceded by the year 1 progress report (Sittler and McNay 2016), and provides an update on all field work completed and preliminary results to-date.

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Click the provincial database link below to read this year’s report for this project.