The new level,” Ungulate Migrations of the Western United States: Level 4″, documents 33 mule deer, ptarmigan and elk herd migrations in collaboration with the wildlife authorities of Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, Wind River Reservation, Wyoming and, for the first time, the state of Oregon and Colorado and the Pueblo of Tesuque in New Mexico. With the most recent publication, the report line includes information and maps of the journeys and annual runs for a total of 182 distinct herds spread across 10 says.
According to Matt Kauffman, the study’s lead author and wildlife biologist with the USGS Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit,” We’ve now mapped nearly two hundred migrations of mule deer, antelopes, deer, and other animals across diverse scenery, from the high mountain Rocky Mountains to the temperate forests of the Pacific Northwest and the plain ecosystems of the American Southwest.” ” I’m impressed by how the team has combined to adopt a common set of techniques to create robust migration maps of these ungulates throughout the West,” said the team.
Every spring and fall, ungulates cross the American West to get close to the nutrient-rich plants and avoid deep snow. But as the human footprint in the West expands, these species increasingly face obstacles such as new subdivisions, energy development, impermeable fences and high- traffic roads on their long journeys. By mapping their migrations, scientists provide critical information—like where migrations overlap with existing and potential obstacles—to managers, policymakers, NGOs and private landowners working to minimize impacts on wildlife.
” To best conserve and protect the habitat used by migrating elk, mule deer, moose and pronghorn, we have to know exactly where these species move across the landscape”, said Blake Henning, chief conservation officer at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. ” That’s why this mapping work is so important—it’s to ensure their future health and well- being. We applaud and thank the USGS and the collaborating states and Tribes for leading this highly collaborative and internationally significant effort.
The new report demonstrates how migration maps can be used to protect and manage fragile environments. For instance, solar farms built close to an ungulate’s range can have a negative impact on habitat and impede movement for both resident and migratory animals. The maps featured in the report series have previously been used to guide leasing decisions for oil and gas development, and they can also serve as a valuable resource for site-based renewable energy projects that reduce the impact of crucial habitat.
According to Jeff Gagnon, statewide connectivity biologist at the Arizona Game and Fish Department,” By using these migration maps and data, the Arizona Game and Fish Department was able to have informed conversations with landowners and solar developers about managing for wildlife corridors through a planned solar facility.” ” These efforts should hopefully allow ungulates to continue their seasonal migrations,” said the researcher.
In addition to managers from the respective state wildlife agencies, co- authors on the fourth volume include the U. S. Forest Service, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife, Pueblo of Tesuque Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Shoshone & Arapaho Tribes Fish and Game, among other partners. Cartographers from the USGS and the University of Oregon collaborated with state and tribal experts to create maps of each herd. A fifth volume of migration maps is currently being prepared, thanks to funding from the USGS and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
The state-tribal-federal partnership is working to map ungulate migration corridors using standard methods, according to the Department of the Interior Secretary’s Order 3362, which was established in 2018. The Corridor Mapping Team is a state-tribal-federal partnership. In the first three volumes of the series of reports entitled Ungulate Migrations of the Western United States, books were released in 2020 and 2022.
To explore migration routes and ranges, visit the interactive www. westernmigrations. net portal, or download the map files from www. sciencebase. gov.
