The Svalbard reindeer is a subspecies of Rangifer tarandus that is endemic to the arctic island, making them vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Among the semi-isolated coastal populations, juvenile dispersal is crucial to maintaining viability, particularly with more rain-on-snow events making it challenging to access food. However, the absence of sea ice is a potential barrier to dispersal. Using step selection functions, we can understand how parental mimicry and individual exploration conditioned on habitat covariates drive dispersal among juveniles. Incorporating learning into step selection functions is an emerging area of research, allowing for a deeper understanding of animal movement behaviour. This project will develop new techniques for step selection functions, as well as providing key insights regarding learning and dispersal of juvenile Svalbard reindeer.
