Advancing animal health knowledge, surveillance and prediction in the Arctic: the role of trace minerals in the health of Arctic ungulates

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Understanding wildlife health, and the impacts of a climate change on wildlife health, is increasingly urgent in a fragile and rapidly changing Arctic. This urgency is highlighted by severe declines of most caribou herds across North America, steep regional declines of muskoxen, and generalized poor health of both species as identified through our community-based wildlife health surveillance programs (CBWHS). Several notable disease issues in caribou and muskoxen on Victoria Island, Nunavut and NWT include: emergence of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, Brucella and orf virus infections, dental and hoof abnormalities, range expansion of lungworms, poor body condition, and low pregnancy rates. This generalized `poor health' is enigmatic and is likely the consequence of many drivers. We hypothesize that recently detected essential trace mineral (TM) imbalances may be playing a role. Trace minerals, like copper, selenium, zinc and others, are essential for growth, reproduction, and immunity. Plants are major sources of TMs for herbivores, thus underlying geology and climate driven changes in plant diversity, phenology, and TM uptake will influence the health of the caribou and muskox consumers. My goal is to understand the complex, interacting effects among climate, animal TM status, and the health and dynamics of caribou and muskox populations. I will first (i) evaluate hair as an indicator of TM status in muskoxen and caribou and then (ii) investigate inter-annual variability and environmental factors that drive TM profiles in these species and (iii) determine the effects of TM imbalances, and their interactions with other health determinants, at individual and population scales. To do this, I will use a OneHealth framework, drawing on multiple sources of information, including conventional scientific approaches, hunter-based surveillance, and Indigenous knowledge. Our growing database of scientific and IK/LK on caribou and muskox health will support this research. Research results will help guide effective co-management and conservation of these species. The multi-faceted research process will build substantial capacity from northern community youth, harvesters and Indigenous wildlife organizations, government wildlife professionals, university undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. The research itself will generate new tools for wildlife monitoring, and vastly increase our understanding of how climate, TM, infectious disease, and stress interact to influence caribou and muskox health in a rapidly changing climate. Data generated, derived from conventional scientific studies, CBWS, and IK/LK, will provide the inputs to develop mechanistic and predictive population models as well as strengthen the Indigenous voice in co-management decision process. The data are co-generated, thus results are more likely to be accepted by all parties, facilitating the development and implementation of management actions when needed.