Caribou and You

Across the country, CPAWS chapters are working in their provinces and territories to protect Woodland Caribou habitat. Together, we’re asking the federal government to meet its obligation to protect Woodland Caribou habitat under the Species at Risk Act.

Canada’s boreal forest is where you’ll find the vast majority of Woodland Caribou. Ever-increasing development in Canada’s north is fragmenting the Boreal and pushing the Woodland Caribou towards extinction.

Alberta’s Woodland Caribou population, in particular, is currently in steep decline. Approximately 47% of the land within Alberta’s 13 boreal Caribou ranges is being impacted by human activity. Seismic lines and well sites from oil and gas development have been major contributors to the habitat loss seen in our province’s boreal forests. There must be a balance between industrial land-uses and habitat decline.

Presently, an estimated 2,935 woodland Caribou are found in Alberta. Current projections of our province’s future Caribou populations are quite grim. Not a single Caribou population in the province is self-sustaining, and our Caribou populations have a very low probability of persistence under the current conditions. The continued fragmentation of our boreal forests will only worsen the fate of the Woodland Caribou.

Canada’s intact Boreal Forest is also one of the world’s largest storehouses of land-based carbon. Our boreal forests store more than 186 billion tons of carbon. But when the boreal forest is developed or logged, its ability to absorb and store carbon is lost or reduced, and carbon is released into the atmosphere. Not only do Caribou lose their habitat, but we lose one of our best options for mitigating climate change.

Initiatives undertaken by our provincial government to protect the boreal forests in our province have been ineffective at best. Our best option is to pressure the federal government to meet its obligation under the Species at Risk Act and issue a map of critical boreal Woodland Caribou habitat. You can help by pledging your support for Canada’s Woodland Caribou and our boreal forests at www.caribouandyou.ca/action. We also encourage you to let the Premier know that you care about the Woodland Caribou and would like to see immediate action taken in the preservation of our boreal forests by writing a letter to the Premier or the Minister of Sustainable Resource Development.

To learn more about the fight for Woodland Caribou and what you can do to help visit www.caribouandyou.ca  or www.cpawsnab.org/wildlife-at-risk/caribou