Modeling Resource Selection of Mountain Goats in Southeastern Alaska: Applications for Population Management and Highway Development Planning

Mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) are among the most culturally and economically important large mammal species in Alaska. Due to their low population growth rates and relatively high degree of sensitivity to natural and anthropogenic disturbance, resource management decisions must be carefully evaluated to ensure sustainable populations. In this study we combined data collected from 124 GPS radiomarked mountain goats and remote sensing data layers in a GIS-based resource selection function (RSF) modeling framework. Modeling output was used to characterize the spatial distribution of mountain goat habitat in an area subject to construction of an all-season highway. We characterized the extent to which the proposed highway overlapped with predicted mountain goat wintering habitat in order to assess the need for and recommend appropriate modifications of mountain goat population management strategies and highway mitigation methods. We determined that the proposed highway would transect 25.3 km of predicted high-tomoderate-use mountain goat wintering areas. In the event the proposed highway is constructed we propose specific changes to existing mountain goat hunting regulations and management strategies and provide recommendations for how highway design, construction, maintenance, and use can be implemented to reduce deleterious effects to local mountain goat populations. Biennial Symposium of the Northern Wild Sheep and Goat Council 18:32–42; 2012