Project Description:We used complementary approaches to assess natal habitat preference induction in a marked population of woodland caribou. All approaches compared the behavior of calves in their natal range to their behavior as independent subadults, to explore whether subadults selected habitat attributes like those encountered early in life.

Project Outcomes or Intended Outcomes:We found that some habitat selection tactics were highly repeatable across life stages. Notably, caribou responses to habitat disturbances were highly repeatable year‐round, meaning that different individuals reacted differently, but consistently, to disturbances. This study highlights the potential role of natal habitat preference induction in shaping individual differences in habitat selection in large mammals and provides valuable knowledge for the management and conservation of a threatened species.

Paper:
https://www.cclmportal.ca/resource/natal-habitat-preference-induction-large-mammals-mother-child