Caribou Monitoring Study for the Alpine Satellite Development Program and Greater Moose’s Tooth Unit, 2020

The caribou monitoring study for the Alpine Satellite Development Program (ASDP) and Greater Moose's Tooth (GMT) Unit is being conducted on the Arctic Coastal Plain of northern Alaska in the northeastern portion of the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska (NPRA) and the adjacent Colville River delta an area that is used at various times of the year by two neighboring herds of barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti)—the Teshekpuk Caribou Herd (TCH) and the Central Arctic Herd (CAH). The TCH generally ranges to the west and the CAH to the east of the Colville River delta.

The general objectives were identified as:

1. Evaluate the seasonal distribution, abundance, and movements of caribou in the study area, using a combination of historical and current data sets from aerial transect surveys and radio telemetry data obtained for this study and from ADFG. a) Which herds use the study area? b) How do patterns of seasonal use differ among herds?

2. Characterize important habitat conditions, such as snow cover, spatial pattern and timing of snowmelt, seasonal flooding (if possible), and estimated biomass of new vegetative growth in the study area by applying remote-sensing techniques.

3. Compare caribou distribution with habitat distribution, remote-sensing data, and other landscape features to better understand factors influencing the seasonal distribution of caribou and evaluate the potential impacts of new development.

4. Record and summarize observations of other large mammals in the study area.

Data and Resources

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  2020 ASDP and GMT Caribou Monitoring Study.pdf (48.4 MB)