CARMA – Coordinated monitoring of Rangifer health and body condition

• manual drafted• contributors: Dorothy

Cooley, Susan Kutz, Katherine Parker, Perry Barboza, Philippa McNeil, Robert White, Rob Otto, Gary Kofinas, Don Russell and Aleksija Neimanis

• now redrafting

Photo from S. Kutz

What is the relationship between change in Rangifer health and body condition – and change in the environment

Community monitoring of health and body condition

Habitat quality and availabilityWeather conditions

►Increase or decrease in calf recruitment and survival

>=0.6cm<0.6cm

Metatarsus marrow fat %

< 3% 30 - 80% >= 80%

Dying< 4%

body fat

Poor4 - 8 %

body fat

Good7.4 - 11% body fat

Excellent> 12% body fat

Body Condition as a predictor of pregnancy (Porcupine Herd)

DEPTH OF BACKFAT

30% 50-70% 100% 100% Pregnancy

Disease and Parasite Monitoring in RangiferSusan Kutz - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary

• disease and parasites can have significant impacts on the health and dynamics of Rangifer populations

• influence the resilience of Human-Rangifer systems to environmental change

• sensitive to climate change; change existing transmission patterns

HEALTH and BODY CONDITION INDICATOR MONITORING

AGE STRUCTURE: Maturity, Age class, Cementum age

LONG TERM NUTRITIONAL STATUS: Body mass, Mandible, Metatarsus

SHORT TERM NUTRITIONAL STATUS: Backfat, Kidney fat, General fatness, Diet (fecal plant cell fragments)

INDIVIDUAL HEALTH: Parasites (organ and tissue), Diseases, Stress, Immune response, Contaminants & Metals

MATERNAL INVESTMENT: Protein Balance, Diet, Fetal development, Reproductive status, Milk Production

Rangifer health and body condition indicator monitoring protocols

1. how do we communicate the use of these protocols?2. are they compatible with existing work?3. minimum sample sizes have been determined, but the minimum

will change if sample measurements of the indicator are highly variable – need a feedback mechanism.

4. what do we need in place for linking to assessment of herd population trends and calf survival/recruitment?

Input – body condition dataOutput – circumpolar synthesis

5. sample collection and handling needs – how much will it cost?6. who will do it – what are the training requirements?