Abstract
Monitoring Components:

• Mammals — Large Carnivores
• Mammals — Mid-Sized Carnivores
• Mammals — Small Mammals
• Mammals — Bats
• Mammals — Mountain Goats
• Birds — Birds of Prey — Bald Eagles
• Birds — Birds of Prey — Northern Goshawk
• Birds — Passerines
• Birds — Riverine Birds
• Birds — White-tailed Ptarmigan
• Arthropods

Abstract

Wildlife can provide critical insights into understanding and sustaining the integrity and functioning of ecological systems. Species differ in their environmental requirements and tolerances and can serve as sensitive indicators of environmental health. Within North Cascades National Park Service Complex some 300 species of mammals and birds have been documented. At least 8,000 species of arthropods occur within the park complex. Many wildlife species are charismatic and have high public visibility. Six species have federal protection and are listed as either "threatened" or "endangered". These species assemblages were selected for long-term monitoring because they represent a highly diverse group of taxa. Coupled with their varied biological and ecological activities, their diversity provides an extremely fine-grained reflection of the environmental conditions within the park, both natural and disturbed.

Of primary importance to monitoring wildlife populations is understanding how these animals respond to natural processes. A baseline knowledge of natural variability enables a monitoring program to distinguish between this natural variability and human-induced disturbance effects. Wildlife are under massive, escalating, and accelerating assaults from multiple human agents and activities. The most pervasive threat to park faunal resources is deterioration and destruction of habitats in areas within and adjacent to park boundaries. Habitat fragmentation and the lack of habitat connectivity exacerbate the effects of these habitat losses. Wildlife species are recognized as sensitive indicators of environmental pollutants. As predators at the top of the food chain, some taxa concentrate pesticide toxins in their systems. Other stressors to wildlife resources and their processes include human-caused disturbance, both direct and indirect. These disturbances can cause population levels of species to fall below a minimum viable population level. Some of these disturbances include hunting/poaching, park operations, recreation and associated increases in road and trail densities, and fire management practices.

The goals and objectives of the terrestrial fauna monitoring program are to provide three types of data. First is an estimate of the population size and trends for various species. Second is an estimate of the demographic parameters for at least some of those populations. And, third is habitat data to link the density and demographic parameters of populations to habitat characteristics.

Use of population size as a measure of health of a species has been a common tool of biologists for many years. Population size, however, is only a retrospective tool. It tells only after the fact that a species has enjoyed an increase or suffered a decline. To ponder causes of changes, the biologist must couple information of population size with data on the internal composition of a population---its demographics. For example, data on sex ratio, age distribution, nesting success, survivorship, average weight, and population movements can all give valuable cues to factors or events regulating a population. Moreover, such primary population characters can provide early warning signals of population problems prior to actual declines. Many studies have used data such as these to describe the dynamics of various populations. Monitoring will select taxa representing a variety of functional attributes in habitats of high interest. Species selection will integrate various spatial and temporal scales.

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Monitoring Component: Mammals — Large Carnivores

• Grizzly bears, gray wolves (Threatened and Endangered species)
• Black bears, cougars (other)

Justification And Other Information: Charismatic megafauna have high public visibility. Both grizzly bear and gray wolf are on the Endangered Species list and are believed to have critically low populations. Gray wolf status in Washington is unknown. These species, requiring large areas of wilderness, are symbols of wild places and the North Cascades provide one of the last refuges for these species. A network of interagency partners is in place. Preliminary data have been collected (e.g., suitable habitat analysis for grizzly bears). Black bears and cougars are subject to legal hunting within both national recreation areas; both are subject to potential conflict with humans due to sanitation problems, use of seasonal habitat, etc. No population data exist on black bears and cougars for areas in or near the park that allow hunting.

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Monitoring Component: Mammals — Mid-sized Carnivores

Monitoring/Research Question: What are the status and distribution of wolverine, fisher, lynx, bobcat, and pine marten in North Cascades NP?

Justification and other information: Wolverine, fisher, and lynx are candidate species for listing; very few data exist for these species. Methods for monitoring have recently been established. There are many interagency opportunities. Bobcats are subject to legal hunting in the national recreation areas, despite lack of population data.

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Monitoring Component: Mammals — Small Mammals

Justification And Other Information: Standard methods for monitoring are well-established. Biological diversity is highly valued. There are direct linkages with higher trophic levels.

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