Mineral Licks
Mineral licks are unique habitat features that are important to many different wildlife species. Various animals visit these naturally-occurring, exposed deposits of salts or other minerals in order to ingest the mineral nutrients they need for healthy growth. Therefore, mineral licks are often areas of high wildlife activity and are sometimes marked by game trails. Many species, including moose, caribou and mountain goats, use mineral licks. Mineral licks have a particularly strong influence on habitat use by Dall’s sheep (Ovis dalli) and are critical to the well-being of sheep populations. Dall’s sheep may travel long distances to mineral licks and often use the same licks year after year. In summer, the distribution of nursery bands (ewes, yearlings and lambs) is heavily influenced by mineral licks.
The PAS Biologist with the Government of the Northwest Territories’ Department of Environment and Natural Resources has mapped known locations of mineral licks in the NWT. Mineral lick locations were compiled from the following data sources:
- Popko, R. Mineral Licks and Springs in the Mackenzie Mountains NWT. Unpublished Database. Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Norman Wells, NT. 2005.
- Bonny, S. NWT Springs Field Notes. Unpublished Data. Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB. 2006.
- Licks mapped at the 2006 Dehcho Wildlife Working Group workshop that included biologists and Dehcho community harvesters.
- Wiebe, H. Deh Cho Land Use Planning Committee Wildlife Working Group Summary Report November 24-28/03 - Fort Providence, NT. Dehcho Land Use Planning Committee, Fort Providence, NT. 2003.
- Cizek, P. Edehzhie Candidate Protected Area: Mills Lake, Horn River, Horn Plateau and Willowlake River. Dehcho First Nations, Fort Simpson, NT. 2001.
- Mineral licks mapped by participants at a Sahtu Renewable Resources Board meetings in 2007 and 2008.
- Mineral licks mapped at a meeting with residents of Fort McPherson and Aklavik in 2008 and 2009.
- General approximate areas known to contain mineral licks used by Dall’s sheep, mountain goats, mountain woodland caribou, and/or moose in the 1970s from Department of Environment 1974. Northern Land Use Information Map Series. Government of Canada, Ottawa, ON.
Mineral lick locations are considered sensitive information. Therefore, the map has been generalized to show only approximate mineral lick densities per 100 km2 grid cell. More detailed information can be made available as appropriate to researchers and those seeking development permits. Contact the PAS Secretariat at nwt_pas@gov.nt.ca if details are required, or if you have additional information to report.
