Warm Winter & Early Caribou Migration
Joly K and Sousanes P. 2014. Warm Winter & Early Caribou Migration. National Park Service, Arctic Network Inventory and Monitoring Program
Western Alaska experienced an incredibly warm winter (December 2013 - March 2014), with temperatures 6-8 oF warmer than average. Warm and dry conditions continue into spring; coupled with low winter snowfall and rain events, these conditions led to many areas of the winter range of Western Arctic Herd having little or no snow. The herd calves in the Utukok Uplands, north of the Brooks Range, in early June. Right now, the herd’s spring migration to the calving grounds is much earlier (1-3 weeks) than other years the NPS has been tracking its timing.
- Type
- Resource Brief
- Authors
- Joly, Kyle; Sousanes, Pam
- Date of Issue
- 2014-05-12
- Publisher
- National Park Service, Arctic Network Inventory and Monitoring Program
- Units
- ARCN , BELA , CAKR , GAAR , KOVA , NOAT
- Keywords
- Alaska, Calving, Caribou, Climate, Migration, Phenology, Utukok Uplands, warming
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Mammals