![]() ![]() ![]() “We’re also sampling from several areas, including areas open and closed to snowmachining, to get a picture of the stress level differences in these areas.”Ī management goal of the refuge is to conserve wildlife and its habitats while also balancing recreational opportunities, particularly when considering mandates imposed by the Wilderness Act of 1964. “We’re sampling weekly and hoping to get several hundred samples this winter, which we’re getting close to,” Mullet said. He hopes to determine whether exposure to human-made noise causes such stress in moose on the refuge. Chronic causes of high levels of these hormones can lower wildlife densities and displace animals from preferred habitats, Mullet said. Mullet also is collecting moose poop as part of his study and having it analyzed for levels of glucocorticoids - hormones that are indicators of animal stress. Based on the spatial distribution of these sound samples, we will be able to create a map of sound sources within the landscape, which we will use to predict where sounds occur across the refuge and what those sounds are.” “For sound pressures that exceed a certain decibel level, we will digitally record the sound in order to identify its source. “The intention is to map the distribution of decibel levels across the refuge and identify whether the source of those decibels is human-made or produced by nature,” Mullet said. The sound levels will be measured in decibels and graphed, while others are put through a spectrogram to determine their pitch. There are seven permanent sound stations set up around the refuge, and six rotating stations are being used to take sound-level readings and recordings. “We want to map these sounds, and look at what the differences are between summer and winter,” Mullet said. An ATV hitting the trail or boats running on area lakes are common sounds of summer and fall, and planes flying overhead may be year-round contributors. ![]() With a highway cutting through the refuge, the sound of vehicle traffic also contributes to the soundscape. Snowmachines in winter aren’t the only non-natural sound producers. Some birds started calling at different times from what was normal for them.” “Previous studies have shown that anthropogenic sound has changed bird behavior. “Sound definitely has implications on ecology of animals,” Mullet said. Mullet wonders if there may be parallels to moose whose environments are inundated by anthropogenic (human-generated) sounds, such as those created by snowmachines. All it takes is one motor home to pull up nearby and run its generator all night for these sounds to be lost. Perhaps a spot near a river or stream is chosen to listen to its natural rippling sounds, or possibly a site in the woods where a migratory bird’s song could be heard, or the sound of squirrels chattering over which should have a spruce cone. ![]() Many choose a remote site in order to leave behind the sounds of the city. Human-generated sound could be interfering with natural sounds, which subsequently may be stressing moose, or so goes Mullet’s hypothesis.įor anyone who has gone camping, this is an easily understood occurrence. “The soundscape - the cacophony of sounds that define a landscape - is very important to animals in their communication with each other and in their ability to listen to their environment,” said Tim Mullet, a doctoral candidate at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, currently involved in a two-year study of the relationship between sounds and moose on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. The snapping of nearby twigs or rustling brush could mean that a predator, such as a bear or wolf, is on the hunt nearby. To human ears, seagull shrieks and squirrel chatter may come more readily to ears and mind as the noises of the natural world, but moose can be plenty noisy, as well, using a variety of sounds to signal their intentions year-round.īulls rustle brush with their racks and grunt to females during the fall breeding season, cows emit soft whines and mews, and hidden calves bleat when they’re hungry to call their mom back to them.Įqually important to moose is their ability to hear sounds for their survival. The natural world is filled with the sounds of animals communicating with each other. The study will attempt to better understand the effects sound, such as that produced by snowmachines, has on moose. Moose, such as this spike-fork seen earlier this winter in the Caribou Hills, are the subject of an ongoing study being conducted on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Joseph Robertia, Redoubt Reporter. ![]()
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