Testing habitat suitability models for Roosevelt elk

Seasonal habitat suitability models for Roosevelt elk, Cervus elaphus roosevelti, (Brunt 1991) were tested using two distinctly different study areas on northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Locations for 5 radio-collared elk, obtained approximately twice per week by telemetry from May 1992 to August 1993, were used to test the models. I used the adaptive kernel method to estimate seasonal home ranges from each elk's locations. Habitat suitability values for summer, mild winter, and severe winter were calculated across each study area on a geographic information system (GIS), using input variables from forest cover, topology, and understory coverages. I compared the suitability values of elk locations to values within home ranges and across study areas, and the suitability values of seasonal home ranges to those across the study areas. The home ranges were further compared with equal sized, circular areas randomly placed in the study areas. Because elk generally used areas of higher suitability than expected, I concluded that the model had some ability to predict areas which contained suitable elk habitat. I also identified limitations of the model.Land and Food Systems, Faculty ofGraduat