Fauna of the Aleutian Islands and Alaska Peninsula

Murie, Olaus J.

doi:10.3996/nafa.61.0001

Cited by 116 publications

(49 citation statements)

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“…During the early 1900s, caribou became numerous on the Alaska Peninsula south of Port Moller and Murie (1959) recorded 5000 there in 1925. However, the icing conditions of the 1930s apparently were associated with a major decline with a probable low point in the early 1940s.…”

Section: Southern Alaska Peninsula Herd (Sap)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Population dynamics of caribou herds in southwestern Alaska

Valkenburg¹,

Sellers²,

Squibb³

et al. 2003

Ran

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The five naturally occurring and one transplanted caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) herd in southwestern Alaska composed about 20% of Alaska's caribou population in 2001. All five of the naturally occurring herds fluctuated considerably in size between the late 1800s and 2001 and for some herds the data provide an indication of long-term periodic (40-50 year) fluctuations. At the present time, the Unimak (UCH) and Southern Alaska Peninsula (SAP) are recovering from population declines, the Northern Alaska Peninsula Herd (NAP) appears to be nearing the end of a protracted decline, and the Mulchatna Herd (MCH) appears to now be declining after 20 years of rapid growth. The remaining naturally occurring herd (Kilbuck) has virtually disappeared. Nutrition had a significant effect on the size of 4-monthold and 10-month-old calves in the NAP and the Nushagak Peninsula Herd (NPCH) and probably also on population growth in at least 4 (SAP, NAP, NPCH, and MCH) of the six caribou herds in southwestern Alaska. Predation does not appear to be sufficient to keep caribou herds in southwestern Alaska from expanding, probably because rabies is endemic in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and is periodically transferred to wolves (Canis lupus) and other canids. However, we found evidence that pneumonia and hoof rot may result in significant mortality of caribou in southwestern Alaska, whereas there is no evidence that disease is important in the dynamics of Interior herds. Cooperative conservation programs, such as the Kilbuck Caribou Management Plan, can be successful in restraining traditional harvest and promoting growth in caribou herds. In southwestern Alaska we also found evidence that small caribou herds can be swamped and assimilated by large herds, and fidelity to traditional calving areas can be lost.

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Section: Southern Alaska Peninsula Herd (Sap)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Caribou were numerous on Unimak Island during the early 1900s, and they probably reached a popu¬ lation high of at least 7000 in 1925 (Murie, 1959). By the 1940s, caribou had declined, and during the first aerial survey of Unimak Island in November 1949, no caribou were observed (Skoog, 1968).…”

Section: Unimak Caribou Herd (Uch)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Population dynamics of caribou herds in southwestern Alaska

Valkenburg¹,

Sellers²,

Squibb³

et al. 2003

Ran

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“…Murie (1959) also summarized an account from Turner (1886:200), who observed harbor porpoise near Kodiak and in the Aleutian Islands. In fact, the majority of sightings and specimens collected during this time period were in waters north of the Gulf of Alaska in the Aleutians (Bailey and Hendee, 1926;Murie, 1959), Pribilof Islands (Murie, 1959), and as far north as Barrow (70°48′ N, 159°17′ W) (Bee and Hall, 1956). …”

Section: Anecdotal Accountsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Harbor porpoise were rarely mentioned in expedition accounts from the late 1800's and early 1900's (Osgood, 1901a, b;Osgood, 1904;Bailey and Hendee, 1926;Murie, 1959). The few instances of sightings or specimens collected in the Gulf of Alaska included: two skulls from Kanatak ( Fig.…”

Section: Anecdotal Accountsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The few instances of sightings or specimens collected in the Gulf of Alaska included: two skulls from Kanatak ( Fig. 7) in 1903, to which Wilfred Osgood stated "so far as I can learn, this is the most northerly record of this species on the Pacifi c coast" (Osgood, 1904:27); and a sighting of two porpoise among the Shumagin Islands on 23 May 1937 (Murie, 1959). Murie (1959) also summarized an account from Turner (1886:200), who observed harbor porpoise near Kodiak and in the Aleutian Islands.…”

Section: Anecdotal Accountsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Harbor Porpoise, Phocoena phocoena vomerina, in Cook Inlet, Alaska

Shelden¹,

Agler²,

Brueggeman³

et al. 2014

MFR

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Productivity, diets, and environmental contaminants in nesting bald eagles from the aleutian archipelago

Anthony

Miles

Estes

et al. 1999

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Abstract-We studied productivity, diets, and environmental contaminants in nesting bald eagles from the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska, USA, during the summers of 1993 and 1994. Productivity on Adak, Tanaga, and Amchitka Islands ranged from 0.88 to 1.24 young produced per occupied site and was comparable to that of healthy populations in the lower 48 United States. However, productivity on Kiska Island was depressed, averaging 0.67 young per occupied site. The lower reproductive success on Kiska was associated with elevated levels of dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene and other organochlorine pesticides. Many of the organochlorine pesticides were elevated in bald eagle eggs from the four islands, but concentrations of these contaminants and Hg were significantly higher in eggs from Kiska Island than in eggs from the other islands. In contrast, polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations were higher in eggs from Adak, Amchitka, and Kiska (where military facilities have been installed) than in those from Tanaga (which has had little military activity). The most likely source of these contaminants in bald eagles was from their diets, which were variable spatially and temporally. Fish made up most (56%) of the eagles' diet on Adak and Tanaga Islands, followed by birds (25%) and mammals (19%). In contrast, birds comprised the majority (60%) of bald eagle diets on Amchitka and Kiska Islands, followed by mammals (30%) and fish (10%). The high proportion of seabirds in the diet of eagles from Kiska Island could be the major source of organochlorine and Hg contamination. Elevated concentrations of organochlorines in bald eagle eggs from the Aleutian Archipelago was surprising, because of the distance to agricultural areas. The results indicate that these contaminants can be transported long distances and affect wildlife populations in remote and pristine areas. We also discuss potential sources and transport mechanisms of these contaminants to the Aleutian Islands.

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Fauna of the Aleutian Islands and Alaska Peninsula

Cited by 116 publications

References 0 publications

Population dynamics of caribou herds in southwestern Alaska

Population dynamics of caribou herds in southwestern Alaska

Harbor Porpoise, Phocoena phocoena vomerina, in Cook Inlet, Alaska

Productivity, diets, and environmental contaminants in nesting bald eagles from the aleutian archipelago

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