ANNUAL REPORT ON VITAL SIGNS MONITORING OF DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF SNOWSHOE HARES IN WRANGELL-ST. ELIAS NATIONALPARK & PRESERVE
Reid M. 2006. ANNUAL REPORT ON VITAL SIGNS MONITORING OF DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF SNOWSHOE HARES IN WRANGELL-ST. ELIAS NATIONALPARK & PRESERVE. Copper Center, AK
The annual accumulation of fecal pellets has been found to be an accurate predictor of population trend in snowshoe hares. Using existing fixed line transects established in WRST in 1991, snowshoe hare pellet counts were conducted to determine population trends of this cyclic species. 2005 results show that the hare population is recovering from its cyclic low in 2003. These results are consistent with incidental observations (more hares seen). In addition, hare population trend data collected in WRST closely track Alaska Department of Fish and Game lynx harvest.