raven_over_easy
01-22-2007, 08:57 PM
Counting elk, modern math
Kentucky uses military tech to track herd
By Art Lander Jr.
HERALD-LEADER OUTDOORS WRITER
http://www.kentucky.com/images/kentucky/kentucky/16509/272562763550.jpg
Karen Alexy
Researchers used this infrared camera mounted on a small plane to count elk in Eastern Kentucky.
Using technology developed by the military to find and count enemy on the battlefield, wildlife biologists are taking to the skies to find out just how many cows, bulls and calves are roaming eastern Kentucky's 16-county elk zone.
"Forward-Looking Infrared is going to help us answer a lot of questions about our elk herd," said Karen Alexy, wildlife research coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. "We're analyzing the data now and hope to (make a report) to the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission by May."
The first phase of the project, which began Oct. 25 and ended Dec. 16, included more than 50 hours of flights at night over the eight elk-release sites, from Johnson County in the north to Bell County in the south.
The flights originated out of Wendell H. Ford Airport in Hazard and were made by Vision Air, a flying service under contract with the department.
The infrared unit, mounted on a fixed-wing aircraft, records images of the warm-blooded creatures on the ground. "The animals show up white hot, as digital signatures that the computer can read," Alexy said. "We can differentiate elk and deer, from cattle and horses, and have (all the survey routes) on tape, so we can look at them over and over."
Kentucky's elk herd is estimated to number 5,700 but should swell to about 6,300 after calving this spring. "Elk have a lower reproductive rate than white-tailed deer," Alexy said. "Cows usually are bred for the first time at age 21/2 years, and rarely have twins."
The long-term goal of Kentucky's elk restoration program is a herd of about 10,000.
Getting concise population estimates is one of wildlife management's greatest challenges, but FLI makes it possible to count the free-ranging animals, even in rugged, mountainous terrain, where radio telemetry is difficult at best. "Following the movements of radio-collared animals in mountainous areas is tough because it's easy to lose the signal," said Alexy.
The survey routes, shaped like spokes on a wheel, were two miles wide by 16 miles long, and they originated from the eight release sites.
The data collected will be used to count the animals in the test areas so that a region-wide population estimate can be made. "It would take years to fly the entire elk zone," said Alexy.
Combined, the 16 counties in the elk zone are about 4 million acres in size.
Besides providing an actual count of elk near the release sites, biologists will learn about dispersal rates, preferred habitat types, and how well elk move through large tracts of contiguous forestlands, to find the open lands they need for grazing.
"We know where we stocked elk, and how many were released, and we know a lot about their reproductive rate here, but we want some numbers to compare with our population model (estimates)," said Alexy.
Since the elk restoration began in 1997, when the first of 1,500 elk from six western states were trucked into the state, biologists have been collecting data to create a computer population model.
Information fed into the model comes from elk that were radio-collared when they were released here, and calves born in Kentucky that were captured soon after they were born, and radio-collared.
The radio collars have transmitters that enable elk movements to be monitored. "From these collared animals we have learned that elk are starting to disperse more," Alexy said. "The average yearling dispersal is about two miles. Right now they're not having to disperse very far because there's lots of available habitat, but as the population grows, they will move farther away (from the release sites)."
The elk killed by hunters have been a good source of data on age and growth for biologists. "Elk are doing well here," Alexy said. "Soil in Eastern Kentucky is fertile, compared to the western U.S. Winters are short and growing seasons are long."
Fertility rates have been high. About 70 to 80 calves are being born for every 100 cows, whereas in the western states, about 30 calves are born for every 100 cows.
But Alexy said she is starting to see small differences in reproduction and the weights of elk between areas in the elk zone, which can probably be attributed to habitat.
"Elk really thrive on reclaimed coal mine land, areas with grass and weedy growth," said Tina Brunjes, the department's big-game program coordinator.
At this time it's uncertain how many elk permits will be awarded to hunters in 2007. It won't be decided until March 9, at the quarterly meeting of the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission.
Kentucky uses military tech to track herd
By Art Lander Jr.
HERALD-LEADER OUTDOORS WRITER
http://www.kentucky.com/images/kentucky/kentucky/16509/272562763550.jpg
Karen Alexy
Researchers used this infrared camera mounted on a small plane to count elk in Eastern Kentucky.
Using technology developed by the military to find and count enemy on the battlefield, wildlife biologists are taking to the skies to find out just how many cows, bulls and calves are roaming eastern Kentucky's 16-county elk zone.
"Forward-Looking Infrared is going to help us answer a lot of questions about our elk herd," said Karen Alexy, wildlife research coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. "We're analyzing the data now and hope to (make a report) to the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission by May."
The first phase of the project, which began Oct. 25 and ended Dec. 16, included more than 50 hours of flights at night over the eight elk-release sites, from Johnson County in the north to Bell County in the south.
The flights originated out of Wendell H. Ford Airport in Hazard and were made by Vision Air, a flying service under contract with the department.
The infrared unit, mounted on a fixed-wing aircraft, records images of the warm-blooded creatures on the ground. "The animals show up white hot, as digital signatures that the computer can read," Alexy said. "We can differentiate elk and deer, from cattle and horses, and have (all the survey routes) on tape, so we can look at them over and over."
Kentucky's elk herd is estimated to number 5,700 but should swell to about 6,300 after calving this spring. "Elk have a lower reproductive rate than white-tailed deer," Alexy said. "Cows usually are bred for the first time at age 21/2 years, and rarely have twins."
The long-term goal of Kentucky's elk restoration program is a herd of about 10,000.
Getting concise population estimates is one of wildlife management's greatest challenges, but FLI makes it possible to count the free-ranging animals, even in rugged, mountainous terrain, where radio telemetry is difficult at best. "Following the movements of radio-collared animals in mountainous areas is tough because it's easy to lose the signal," said Alexy.
The survey routes, shaped like spokes on a wheel, were two miles wide by 16 miles long, and they originated from the eight release sites.
The data collected will be used to count the animals in the test areas so that a region-wide population estimate can be made. "It would take years to fly the entire elk zone," said Alexy.
Combined, the 16 counties in the elk zone are about 4 million acres in size.
Besides providing an actual count of elk near the release sites, biologists will learn about dispersal rates, preferred habitat types, and how well elk move through large tracts of contiguous forestlands, to find the open lands they need for grazing.
"We know where we stocked elk, and how many were released, and we know a lot about their reproductive rate here, but we want some numbers to compare with our population model (estimates)," said Alexy.
Since the elk restoration began in 1997, when the first of 1,500 elk from six western states were trucked into the state, biologists have been collecting data to create a computer population model.
Information fed into the model comes from elk that were radio-collared when they were released here, and calves born in Kentucky that were captured soon after they were born, and radio-collared.
The radio collars have transmitters that enable elk movements to be monitored. "From these collared animals we have learned that elk are starting to disperse more," Alexy said. "The average yearling dispersal is about two miles. Right now they're not having to disperse very far because there's lots of available habitat, but as the population grows, they will move farther away (from the release sites)."
The elk killed by hunters have been a good source of data on age and growth for biologists. "Elk are doing well here," Alexy said. "Soil in Eastern Kentucky is fertile, compared to the western U.S. Winters are short and growing seasons are long."
Fertility rates have been high. About 70 to 80 calves are being born for every 100 cows, whereas in the western states, about 30 calves are born for every 100 cows.
But Alexy said she is starting to see small differences in reproduction and the weights of elk between areas in the elk zone, which can probably be attributed to habitat.
"Elk really thrive on reclaimed coal mine land, areas with grass and weedy growth," said Tina Brunjes, the department's big-game program coordinator.
At this time it's uncertain how many elk permits will be awarded to hunters in 2007. It won't be decided until March 9, at the quarterly meeting of the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission.