Observations of Musk Oxen on Banks Island, Northwest Territories, Canada

William J. Maher; Richard T. Holmes

doi:10.14430/arctic3549

Observations of Musk Oxen on Banks Island, Northwest Territories, Canada

ARCTIC ◽

10.14430/arctic3549 ◽

1963 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 275

Author(s):

William J. Maher ◽

Richard T. Holmes

Keyword(s):

Northwest Territories ◽

Ovibos Moschatus ◽

Banks Island

Notes summer 1963 observations of <em>Ovibos moschatus</em>. On a reconnaissance flight over the northern third of the island on Aug. 2 nearly sixty were seen, indicating greater abundance than hitherto supposed. Only two were seen south of the reconnaissance area during a two-month period; apparently they concentrate in the northern part at least during the summer.

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Observations on demography, reproduction, and morphology of muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) on Banks Island, Northwest Territories

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z87-041 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 65 (2) ◽

pp. 265-269 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

P. B. Latour

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Northwest Territories ◽

Total Sample ◽

Age Classes ◽

Ovibos Moschatus ◽

Banks Island ◽

Males And Females

Muskoxen were harvested from three locations on Banks Island in 1981, 1982, and 1983 in the following numbers: 1981, 224; 1982, 87; 1983, 82. Only the 1981 harvest was nonselective for specific age-classes. There was a maximum of 0.83 calves per female ≥ 3 years old in mid-May, as determined by calf and fetus counts; these calves represented 24% of the total sample. Over 90% of all calving was completed by 8 May. Calving may start as early as 8 April and likely no later than 19 April. Body weight increased until at least 5 years of age for both males and females; males were significantly heavier than females at 2 years of age and older. Length and girth increased for both sexes until 5 years of age with significant differences between the sexes occurring at approximately 4 years for girth and 5 years for length.

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Population survey of Peary caribou (Rangifer tarandus pearyi) and muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) on Banks Island, Northwest Territories, July 2010

Rangifer ◽

10.7557/2.33.2.2539 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 135 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tracy Davison ◽

Jodie Pongracz ◽

Judy Williams

Keyword(s):

Confidence Interval ◽

Northwest Territories ◽

Population Survey ◽

Rangifer Tarandus ◽

Population Estimate ◽

Ovibos Moschatus ◽

Banks Island

We conducted a systematic aerial transect survey of Peary caribou (Rangifer tarandus pearyi) and muskoxen (Ovibus moschatus) on Banks Island, Northwest Territories, in July 2010. The population estimate of adult Peary caribou was 1097 ± 343 (95% Confidence Interval: CI), which is not significantly different from the 2005 estimate of 929 ± 289 (95% CI; P < 0.05). The current number, however, is a 4- to 9-fold decrease since the 1980s. The adult muskoxen population estimate was 36 676 ± 4031 (95% CI), which is significantly lower than the 2005 estimate of 47 209 ± 3997 (95% CI; P < 0.05).

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Counting muskoxen in the Northwest Territories

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z89-158 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 67 (5) ◽

pp. 1112-1115

Author(s):

Ron Graf ◽

Ray Case

Keyword(s):

Northwest Territories ◽

Physical Model ◽

Coefficient Of Variation ◽

High Density ◽

Ovibos Moschatus ◽

Banks Island ◽

River Valleys

Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) are difficult to sample because they generally live in groups and the groups are distributed in a strongly contagious manner. We examined various techniques by first creating a physical model of the known distribution of muskoxen of northern Banks Island, Northwest Territories. Then, we sampled the population of the model using different techniques at various levels of coverage, and used the coefficient of variation as the indicator of precision. Our recommendation was to use a stratified, random transect survey with the transects oriented across river valleys in high-density areas. If possible, only stratified surveys are now used in the field and they continue to produce good, precise results.

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