Migration patterns of adult female mule deer in response to energy development

Migration patterns of adult female mule deer in response to energy development

Migration is an adaptive strategy that enables animals to enhance resource availability and reduce risk of predation at a broad geographic scale. Ungulate migrations generally occur along traditional routes, many of which have been disrupted by anthropogenic disturbances. Spring migration in ungulates is of particular importance for conservation planning because it is closely coupled with timing of parturition. The degree to which oil and gas development affects migratory patterns, and whether ungulate migration is sufficiently prepared to compensate for such changes, has recently been investigated in Colorado and Wyoming (Lendrum et al. 2012, 2013; Sawyer et al. 2012).

Lendrum et al. (2012, 2013) and Sawyer et al. (2012) address mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) migration patterns in relation to energy development from northwest Colorado and south-central Wyoming, respectively. We address results from the Colorado and Wyoming studies and then compare similarities and differences. Management and conservation implications are proposed for consideration and future investigation.

Anderson, C. R. Jr, and C. J. Bishop. 2014. Migration patterns of adult female mule deer in response to energy development. Pages 47-50 in R. A. Coon & M. C. Dunfee, editors. Transactions of the 79th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference. Wildlife Management Institute, Gardners, PA, USA.

Anderson Jr, Charles R.

Bishop, Chad J.

Migration

Mule deer

Parturition

Oil and gas development

Northwest Colorado

South-central Wyoming

4 pages

Article

application/pdf

English

Transactions of the 79th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference