The vast majority of cows will have calved by mid-June. The main indication we receive from satellite collars that calving is taking place is the fact that the caribou tend to stop moving. Just prior to calving, females slow down and try to find a quiet spot to give birth. Shortly after the peak of calving, females start to concentrate into larger groups, and start to move off of their calving grounds with their fairly mobile new calves. When we periodically conduct census work we collect any dead calves and do a necropsy to try to determine the cause of death.
Wolves are the most common predator at calving time.
Based on wolf sighting information during our surveys, it appears that wolves are more common on the Beverly range than on the Qamanirjuaq range. This may be a reflection of the greater level of Inuit hunting of wolves on the Qamanirjuaq range. Barren ground grizzly bears also take advantage of the calving period by either running down caribou, or by ambushing calves or vulnerable caribou in areas of soft snow. A number of species also take advantage of the opportunity to scavenge on a dead caribou. The field projects involved will likely include wolverine, lynx, marten, grizzly bear, and possibly wolves.