. The Canadian field-naturalist. 304 The Canadian Field-Naturalist Vol. 89 observation, I was able to obtain an indication of the dispersal, seasonal movements, and habitat preferences of the introduced caribou. The locations of 75 observations are shown in Figure 3. Sightings are identified to reveal differences in distribution during the periods with (December-April) and without (May- November) snow cover. Most observations of caribou occurred locally; 64% were within the park's bound- aries, and 84% were within a 15-mile radius of the release site shown in Figure 3. Twelve observations were
. The Canadian field-naturalist. 304 The Canadian Field-Naturalist Vol. 89 observation, I was able to obtain an indication of the dispersal, seasonal movements, and habitat preferences of the introduced caribou. The locations of 75 observations are shown in Figure 3. Sightings are identified to reveal differences in distribution during the periods with (December-April) and without (May- November) snow cover. Most observations of caribou occurred locally; 64% were within the park's bound- aries, and 84% were within a 15-mile radius of the release site shown in Figure 3. Twelve observations were located more than 15 miles from the release site, 11 north and 1 south of the park. The southern observation was also the most distant; here, four animals were seen near Margaree on 5 March 1969, approximately 34 miles from the release site. The seasonal distribution of observations reveals that caribou remained in a relatively small area and in one main habitat type in winter, and that in snow-free months they ranged widely and entered a variety of habitats. Fifteen of 20 winter sightings were located in barrens covering approximately 60 square miles in the southeastern part of the park. Most of the area has a minimum accumulation of snow, as previously noted. In contrast, sum- mer sightings were distributed over a much larger area, , most of the northern peninsula (Figure 3), where there is considerable varia- tion in elevation and habitat. Many summer sightings occurred at or near the coast and in valleys where forest cover was mixed-wood or deciduous. Some bias arising from the location of ob- servers must be considered in the interpretation of data on caribou distribution. In northern Cape Breton Island, the human population is concentrated on the coast, and there is little travel into the central highlands at any season. This may explain why many summer observations occurred near settled areas on the coast and along the Cabot Trail where it. 46 30' 61' 60"30 Fig
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