Impacts of Tour Boat Shore Excursions on Terrestrial Wildlife in Glacier Bay National Park

Project ID: P16AC01158

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Partner Institution: University of Washington

Fiscal Year: 2016

Initial Funding: $5,758

Total Funding: $167,208

Project Type: Technical Assistance

Project Disciplines: Social

National Park: Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve

Principal Investigator: Prugh, Laura

Agreement Technical Representative: Lewis, Tania

Abstract: Expansion of human recreational activities increases the potential for disturbance of wildlife species. Human disturbance can cause displacement of animals and changes in species composition and diversity. Human presence may provoke anti-predator responses such as increased energetic costs of fleeing and/or increased vigilance; reduction in parental care;disruption in mating or the ability to find a mate; behavioral changes that may increase likelihood of mortality, and displacement from key food resources and/or decreased feeding time resulting in negative nutritional consequences. Repeated human disturbance may cause death or reduced reproductive success, particularly in vulnerable animals such as breeding birds. In Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, shore excursions from tour vessels have increased substantially from
16 days in 2008 to 101 days in 2014. No studies have been conducted to quantify the effects of increased shore excursions by tour vessel passengers on terrestrial wildlife in Glacier Bay. New tour vessel operating plans beginning in 2016 will allow for the designation of”heavy use locations” in Glacier Bay which may see more shore excursions than other locations. The park is responsible for determining where these heavy use locations are and ensuring that significant resource degradation does not occur in these areas. In order to provide for visitor enjoyment without detriment to natural resources, park managers need to understand the impacts of repeated human use on wildlife species distribution and activity levels. This project will use non-invasive methods to quantify species occupancy and activity levels to compare between sites used for shore excursions versus those that are not and between days when human use occurs versus days in which no human use occurs at the same site. This information will be used in an adaptive management framework to make yearly decisions managing tour boat shore excursions.