Emperor geese are an amazing and unique species. They are almost exclusively marine and never leave the arctic/subarctic latitudes, braving even in the cold of winter in locations such as the Kodiak Islands, Alaska Peninsula, and Aleutian Islands. I’ve been working with Alaska Department of Fish and Game the past few years to implant satellite transmitters in these birds so that their research biologists can understand their movements, predict their population size, and learn more about their life history. It’s important because they are so dependent upon healthy ocean ecosystems and they are also an important food source for native peoples.
In June, 2021, I’ll be out in western Alaska in a remote camp implanting 22 more transmitters in adult geese. The transmitters relay information via satellite for up to 2 years. I’ll also be assisting with local nesting surveys. I’ll be posting updates via satellite (text-only I’m afraid) to my social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter, so subscribe to those accounts if you’d like to learn our progress.
We’ve already performed similar implant trips in Kodiak and in the Yukon-Kuskokwim River Delta region in 2019-2020. You can learn more about emperor geese on the Alaska Dept of Fish and Game website.
Tags: emperor_goose, field_work, surgery, tracking
#emperor_goose #field_work #surgery #tracking
Dr. Scott Ford provides veterinary medical services for wildlife. This includes seeing wild bird patients for examination and surgery, providing surgical and medical support for field biologists, assisting in environmental disasters, and providing online or telephone support for veterinarians and wildlife rehabilitators. Injured Wildlife Dr. Ford’s studies and career began with wild birds and he […]
By Dr. Scott Ford In April of this year I had the pleasure of dropping into the small Alaska town of Yakutat to assist Alaska Department of Fish and Game. My role was to implant satellite transmitters into 18 surf and white-winged scoters to track their movements. There are still many unknowns about where sea […]
By Dr. Scott Ford I have great news about the hawk that we rescued yesterday. North Dakota Game & Fish was very helpful in hooking me up with the Dakota Zoo in Bismarck. Also, because I don’t have local transportation and I need to stay close to the site of our primary field work, they […]
Awesome! Trying to get drawn! It amazes me what locals are allowed to do to OUR resource. Have been up there & since like only around 128 birds of their allowed birds on average have been reported! Lol. Let non resident s have more permIt’s & they can have a lot more $$$$.