May 1, 2024 | The New York Times via UVic News
Mountain goats, the high-elevation daredevils, have always lived life on the edge. Their survival strategy of seeking refuge on steep, rocky slopes to avoid predators has an inherent risk – avalanches. A recent study published in the journal Communications Biology has shed light on the extent to which avalanches affect these animals. The study, based on nearly two decades of research in Alaska, reveals that avalanches are a major cause of mortality among mountain goats, significantly impacting their populations.
The lead author of this groundbreaking study is Kevin White, an ecologist and PhD candidate in the Applied Conservation Science Lab at the University of Victoria. White has spent years studying the behaviour and population dynamics of mountain goats, particularly their interaction with their rugged, inaccessible habitats. His work has often focused on the role of snow as a major driver of mountain goat populations. However, the difficulty of studying these habitats and a bias towards summertime research has limited our understanding of the impact of avalanches on these animals.
At the University of Victoria, Kevin White’s work extends beyond just mountain goats. He is known for his extensive fieldwork and his ability to adapt to harsh conditions to gather data. Over 17 years, he has fitted radio collars on 421 goats in various regions of southeastern Alaska, tracking their movements and gathering postmortem clues when mortality was detected. His research has provided invaluable insights into the life and challenges of mountain goats, revealing that avalanches cause a significant percentage of all deaths in these populations. His work continues to explore why these animals choose to inhabit such risky areas, suspecting that the benefits, such as fewer predators and abundant food, must outweigh the costs.
We are delighted to say that White’s article from Communications Biology was published open access and is available for reading in the institutional repository, UVicSpace!
