GPS Tracking Metadata for Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) from the Central Arctic Herd, Alaska, 2015-2021

GPS collar location data were collected as part of a study on migratory, barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in the Central Arctic herd of Alaska. Data were collected in collaboration with Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG). Because ADFG has a statute (16.05.815) restricting the public release of specific animal locations for 25 years, we are only providing metadata about this data collection effort at this time. Collars were deployed on adult (greater than or equal to 2 years) female caribou from 2015-2019 during April or June. The collars were manufactured by Telonics (TGW-4680-3, Mesa, AZ) and were programmed to collect a GPS location every 2 hours from 1 April to 1 November, and 1 location per day (00:00 UTC) the remainder of the year. Most of the GPS data were directly downloaded from the collars that were recovered from the field, but in some cases, collars were not recovered and the data were obtained from satellite transmissions. The dataset currently includes one table with information about each caribou that was collared and their tracking period.