Caribou are an important source of food for residents of western Alaska, but as environmental conditions and migration patterns change, some local hunters have encountered difficulty accessing the Mulchatna caribou herd (MCH). Existing data describe MCH harvests, herd movements, and caribou abundance through time, but an investigation drawing from traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) has not occurred. This project will integrate TEK with existing knowledge of caribou movements and subsistence harvests. Targeted stakeholders include local tribes, including Bristol Bay Native Association (BBNA), local village councils, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (LCNP), and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). ADF&G management goals include a better understanding of the way vegetation relates to caribou, moose, and predator populations. Additionally, local communities such as Lime Village and Nondalton have identified collection and analysis of TEK on caribou as an information need. The goals of this study are to use TEK gathered through interviews, maps, and participant observation to better understand geographic distribution of the MCH, as well as gain an understanding of local residents’ capacity to adapt to ecological change. Study objectives include conducting 10-15 key respondent interviews (including mapping) to document MCH distribution and response to aspects of the changing environment. Interviews will also focus on ways MCH behavior and ecology has impacted human subsistence, primarily through access to game. ADF&G, BBNA and NPS researchers will work with local communities to identify knowledge holders resident of the historical and contemporary range of the MCH (GMUs 9B, 17, 18, and 19A-C), conduct fieldwork, and disseminate research results and products. Products and outcomes will include a Final Report, contributions to ADF&G Management Reports, One-page Summary Sheets, Community Presentations, and a Webinar.
