Summary

Description

Arctic foxes, introduced to Alaid and Nizki islands in 1911, 1920 and 1935, were removed from the two islands in 1975 and 1976 by means of shooting and trapping Frank and Trapp 1975. Aleutian Canada geese raised at Jamestown, North Dakota and Laurel, Maryland were liberated at Camp Cove near the east end of Nizki Island Fig. 1 on 16 August 1981.Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge personnel visited Nizki and A1aid islands in 1982 Klett 1982 and in 1983 Zeillemaker 1983 to document the presence of any transplanted and released geese. The 1984 survey was conducted to further record returning geese and determine if breeding was occurring on one or both islands. No Aleutian Canada geese from the 1981 Nizki Island release were detected at Alaid or Nizki in the spring of 1984. The five birds observed closely enough to allow detection of leg bands were either released on Agattu Island in 1982 2 or were wild unmarked birds 3. Our observations indicated Aleutian Canada geese have accepted much of Alaid and Nizki islands as spring and summer foraging habitat. During this survey the birds were observed at a variety of sites and elevations. Birds were not observed in the highlands of northwestern Alaid or on the eastern half of Nizki. Aleutian Canada geese will likely be found nesting on one or both islands in the near future. Documenting future nesting at Alaid or Nizki may require considerable effort due to the apparent scattered distribution of summering Aleutian Canada geese: there. It is important to avoid speculation on potential nesting sites based on preferred nesting habitat at Buldir Island. Buldir may have been the last stronghold of the Aleutian Canada goose, but may not be representative of nesting habitat or breeding conditions typically used by the species elsewhere in its former range.