MIGRATORY STRATEGIES AND INTEGRATED STEP SELECTION ANALYSIS OF PRONGHORN (ANTILOCAPRA AMERICANA) ON THE MODOC PLATEAU

Colton J. Wise; Oregon State University; colton.wise@oregonstate.edu; Clinton W. Epps, Robert S. Spaan, Brian R. Hudgens, Tal Avgar

Anthropological effects have impacted both habitat and the ability of organisms to move across landscapes freely. For pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) barriers such as fences and roads inhibit movement. Understanding migratory strategies and integrated step selection (iSSA) of pronghorn on the Modoc Plateau would improve management. We used location data from 97 GPS-collared pronghorn collected over six years to distinguish migratory strategies. We identified individual migratory movements and strategies using a mechanistic range shift analysis. We then used iSSA to determine how landscape characteristics influence these movements. We determined that 54 of 97 (56%) of pronghorn shifted ranges at least once. Range shifts lasted an average of 4.70 days, with individuals traveling an average distance of 24.09 km (range = 3.48–65.75 km). Migration strategy varied, with some individuals remaining as residents and others shifting up to five times/year. Our iSSA indicated that terrain roughness, tree canopy cover, fence density, and distance to roads influenced pronghorn movements. We were able to identify individuals with different migration strategies and identified landscape features that affected these movements. This study demonstrates how migratory behavior can vary within and amongst populations and will inform efforts to maintain landscape connectivity.

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