Adult female survival and calf recruitment influence population dynamics, but there is limited information on calving and neonatal mortality of boreal woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou; caribou) in Ontario, Canada. We identified calf parturition sites and 5‐week neonatal mortality using a movement‐based approach across 3 northern Ontario study regions (Pickle Lake, Nakina, and Cochrane) that vary in their capacity to support caribou populations. In comparing 22 caribou‐years of video‐collar footage during 2010–2013 to predictions of the movement‐based approach, we found live parturition events were 100% correctly classified, date of parturition was within 1.08 ± 0.28 ( ± SE) days, and mortality events up to 5 weeks postpartum were 88% correctly classified. Across study regions, 87% of 186 caribou were pregnant and 76% of 107 caribou‐years indicated birth events with median parturition dates a week later in Cochrane (23 May) than in Pickle Lake (17 May) and Nakina (16 May). Based on selection ratios of caribou‐years with calves‐at‐heel (n = 80), caribou consistently selected for lowlands and closed‐canopied forests and mostly against early‐seral stands (<20 yrs old) and areas near linear features during the neonatal and the post‐neonatal period (up to 35 days postpartum). Based on the video footage and movement models, 30% of 81 caribou‐years that indicated live births also showed females lost their calf within the first 5 weeks postpartum, with higher risk of neonatal mortality associated with increased use of lowlands and greater postpartum movement rates. This study provides informative metrics of caribou reproduction across northern Ontario that will contribute to future population modeling and identifies important landscape features to be considered in future industrial development and land use planning for caribou conservation. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.

中文翻译：

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安大略省北部地区运动方式确定的林地驯鹿产区比较

成年女性的生存和小牛募集会影响种群动态，但是在加拿大安大略省，北方林地驯鹿（Rangifer tarandus caribou；北美驯鹿）的产犊和新生儿死亡率的信息有限。我们使用基于运动的方法在安大略省北部的三个研究区域（皮克湖，纳基纳和科克伦）确定了小牛的分娩部位和5周新生儿死亡率，这些地区支持驯鹿种群的能力各不相同。通过比较2010-2013年间22年的驯鹿视频和基于运动的方法的预测，我们发现实时分娩事件被100％正确分类，分娩日期在1.08±0.28以内（ ±SE）天，以及产后5周以内的死亡事件正确分类为88％。在整个研究区域中，186名北美驯鹿中有87％怀孕，而107名北美驯鹿中有76％指出了出生事件，其中Cochrane（5月23日）的出生日期中位数晚于Pickle Lake（5月17日）和Nakina（5月16日）。基于小脚跟的北美驯鹿年的选择率（n = 80），北美驯鹿一直选择在低地和封闭的森林中使用，并且主要针对新生儿和新生儿后时期（产后最多35天）的早期品位林（<20岁）和线性特征附近的地区。根据录像和运动模型，表明活产的81个驯鹿年中有30％还表明，女性在产后前5周内失去了小腿，与低地使用量增加和产后运动率增加相关的新生儿死亡风险更高。这项研究提供了整个安大略北部驯鹿繁殖的信息量度，这将有助于将来的种群建模，并确定重要的景观特征，供将来的工业发展和驯鹿保护用地规划中考虑。©2020野生动物协会。