Ole Isak Eira Masters student Arctic agriculture and environmental management. University of Tromsø Sami University College

Transkript

1 The behavior of the reindeer herd - the role of the males Ole Isak Eira Masters student Arctic agriculture and environmental management University of Tromsø Sami University College

2 Masters student at Department of Arctic Biology, University of Tromsø. The Project is a part of the Ealát-project Traditional knowledge Herd structure Castration Activity

3 Herd structure Male / female ratio Behavior types Individual behavior vs. herd behavior Castrates Activity logging Activity as an indica for behavior Logging movement Activity Inactivity

4 Data from activity loggers Castrated male (heargi) Female

5 active hours pr day Average active hours in the period, total number of hours 624. Females: 373 hours gjennomsnittlig antall aktive timer Intact males: 357 hours Castrated males: 341 hours 18,0 16,0 14,0 12,0 10,0 8,0 Female 6,0 4,0 2,0 0, Dato kastrater gj.snitt intakte gj.snitt simler totalt Antall timer

6 Kilde:

7 Snowdepth and precipitation Nedbør i mm Snødybde cm

8 Activity and snowdepth Active hours gjennomsnittlig antall aktive timer 18,0 16,0 14,0 12,0 10,0 8,0 6,0 4,0 2,0 0,0 Snowdepth cm Dato kastrater 52 gj.snitt 50 intakte gj.snitt simler totalt Snødybde Antall timer

9 Active hours Antall timer 18,0 16,0 14,0 12,0 10,0 8,0 6,0 4,0 2,0 0,0 Activity and snowdepth gjennomsnittlig antall aktive timer Snowdepth cm Dato totalt Snødybde cm

10 Active hours 18,0 16,0 14,0 12,0 10,0 8,0 6,0 4,0 2,0 0,0 Females gjennomsnittlig antall aktive timer Snowdepth cm Dato 60 simler 58 females Snødybde cm 52 snowdepth Antall timer

11 Intact males (sarvvesnulpput) Snowdepth cm Active hours gjennomsnittlig antall aktive timer 70 18, , , , ,0 60 intakte 58 gj.snitt 8,0 56 6,0 54 Snødybde cm snowdepth 52 4,0 2,0 50 0, Dato Antall timer

12 Active hours 18,0 16,0 14,0 12,0 10,0 8,0 6,0 4,0 2,0 0,0 Castrated males gjennomsnittlig antall aktive timer Snowdepth cm Dato 60 kastrater 58 gj.snitt castrates Snødybde 52 cm snowdepth Antall timer

13 Thank You

14 Next steps Statistical analysis of the data Can this be used to discuss differences in behavior between males and females Does castration of males affect behavior Interwievs reindeer herders How to define activity Differences in behavior between castrated males and not castrated males

15 Area

16

17 Without castrates it is not possible to build up a controllable reindeer herd. Castrates have many functions in a reindeer herd. The first one is that they are the calmest animals of a herd. Which means that a reindeer herd with castrates quiets down easily. This is one function. In Chukotka it is impossible to survive without crushing ice during a so-called black ice period, when everything gets covered with a layer of ice. When this happens only the castrates are strong enough to break such ice. Reproductive bulls are first to die because of lack of food. Calves die very quickly too. But castrates are the strongest animals and they manage to break such ice. Reindeer cows follow after them and eat the fodder left over (

18 Castration Energy conservation Castrated males are used for transport Are able to dig snow when it is bad conditions during winter Calm animals, keeps the herd calm Individual treatment affects the herds welfare positively

19 Methods Activity logging Activity as an indicator for behavior Logging movement Dekoding the data into two categories of behavior Activity Inactivity

20 Temperatures 22. March Temperatur C Maks Temperatur C Min March 31. March

21 Temperature Temperature and activity Active hours 18,0 16,0 14,0 12,0 10,0 8,0 6,0 Temperatur C Maks Temperatur C Min 4,0 antall aktive timer 2,0 0,

22 19. March 2008 Photos: Svein D. Mathiesen

23 22. March 2008 Mean temperatur: -24,5 C Coldest: -32,9 C Snowdepth: 67 cm 18,00 16,00 14,00 12,00 15,31 14,94 14,08 10,00 8,00 simler intakte kastrater 6,00 4,00 2,00 0,00

24 31. Mars Mean temperature: 0,6 C Coldest: -2,2 C Snowdepth: 67 cm. 31.mar 16,00 14,00 12,00 14,06 13,56 13,83 10,00 8,00 6,00 simler intakte kastrater 4,00 2,00 0,00 1

25 Mean temperature: -2,9 C Coldest: -3,6 C Snowdepth: 63 cm. 14. Mars , ,16 simler intakte kastrater

26 Snowdepth and precipitation 22. March 14. March Nedbør i mm Snødybde cm 31. March

27 Activity and snowdepth Active hours gjennomsnittlig antall aktive timer 18,0 16,0 14,0 12,0 10,0 8,0 6,0 4,0 2,0 0,0 Snowdepth cm Dato kastrater 52 gj.snitt 50 intakte gj.snitt simler totalt Snødybde Antall timer

28 Study objects Not castrated male Castrated male female