Population monitoring of Svalbard rock ptarmigan

The Norwegian Polar Institute is responsible for monitoring the Svalbard rock ptarmigan population on Svalbard. The species is monitored because 1) it is an endemic sub-species which imparts special management responsibilities for Norway, 2) it is the most important small game species for hunting and 3) current ecological knowledge is limited.

NPI, in cooperation with the Governor of Svalbard, initiated a monitoring project on spring densities of Svalbard rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta hyperborea) males in 2000. Since that time, data have been collected to determine the relative abundance of territorial males in order to monitor long-term population trends. Point count surveys are conducted during the month of April in Adventdalen and adjacent valleys, as well as Sassendalen. Relative densities of males are calculated using Distance Sampling methods. No population estimates exists for the archipelago, but since 2000 the number of territorial cocks in the monitoring area has varied between 3 to 5 per km2.

Data has been reported by hunters since 1997; between 500-1750 ptarmigans have been harvested annually. All hunters are asked to deliver the outer part of one wing from each ptarmigan because the primaries (three outermost feathers) are used for age determination and the data on age are use for calculation of production (juveniles per pair). The production estimates since 1997 has varied from 3 - 5.5 juveniles per pair.

This work is conducted in cooperation with the University of Tromsø and the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Tromsø. Records to date for the Svalbard rock ptarmigan are posted on NPI’s MOSJ web-site. This NPI programme is financially assisted by the Svalbard's environmental protection fund.

Prosjektleder: Dr. Eva Fuglei