Vol.36 No.2 | 2017 Published by the Wilderness Committee FREE REPORT CARIBOU

WHAT IT TAKES TO SAVE THIS CANADIAN ICON

Eric Reder when they step down, like built-in life support system for us as well. Manitoba snowshoes. When they lift their foot, Stretching around the top of the Campaign their hooves come northern hemisphere Director back together, making like a crown, the vast @EricReder Boreal caribou a clicking sound. boreal region is one of Caribou are found desperately the greatest sources of around the world in freshwater on earth. It northern forests, on need intact filters our air and provides o better represents our the tundra and in wild forested habitat us with oxygen. It stores Ncountry than ’s majestic mountainous regions. an incredible amount of caribou. Its signature widespread Known as in order to carbon, which helps us antlers have graced the front of our in Europe and Asia, survive. mitigate against a rapidly 25-cent coin since 1937. Images of caribou and reindeer changing climate. barren-ground caribou, migrating are recognized as a Yet boreal caribou and on the tundra in vast numbers single species. However, several their home are in trouble. Caribou that stretch to the horizon, have subspecies with different traits have are sensitive to disturbances and Photo top: Woodland caribou (Art Wolfe). become a symbol of our enduring evolved across and the relentless push for industrial Photos: Mountain caribou, Barren-ground caribou (John E. Marriott). wilderness. are “irreplaceable components of development in these forests has My first encounter with wild Canada’s biodiversity.”1 fragmented and destroyed much of caribou 25 years ago remains a vivid The elusive forest dwelling their habitat. According to the federal In 2012, the federal government memory. In a remote boreal forest woodland caribou are rarely seen. government, the boreal caribou gave the provinces and territories, in northeastern BC, a pair of caribou It is these grey ghosts of the forest, population has declined 30 per cent which control most of the lands stepped into the clearing. I watched in particular the boreal forest in the last 20 years, mostly due to where the boreal caribou live, five in wonder as they wandered past population of woodland caribou, habitat degradation.2 years to develop plans that protect at me, browsing slowly, their hooves that urgently need our attention. Boreal caribou desperately need least 65 per cent of their habitat.3 But clicking along before they slipped Known as boreal caribou, this intact forested habitat in order to most have yet to act. into the forest. Little did I know how population is found across a huge survive. Even if the provinces protect 65 rare this experience would become. swath of Canada’s boreal forest, There is a way forward but per cent of a population's habitat, Caribou are fascinating creatures. from the foothills of the Richardson progress has been slow. Boreal caribou still only have a 60 per cent They are the only member of the Mountains in the Yukon to ’s caribou are listed as threatened chance of surviving. We must do family in which both males Atlantic shores. These caribou need under Canada’s Species at Risk more – and do it quickly. and females grow antlers. To aid large tracts of undisturbed boreal Act (SARA), which provides the Read on and find out more about travel in soft snow and bogs, the forest to thrive. neccessary tools to protect them. boreal caribou and how to raise your hooves of caribou spread out wide This caribou’s forest home is a What we need now is political will. voice to safeguard them. Who assesses the status of species in Canada? Caribou of the boreal forest The Committee for the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) assesses species and determines their status. that are categorized as ver millennia boreal caribou have The boreal forest is prone to “threatened”, “endangered” or of “special concern” are recommended for listing Oadapted their behaviours to live natural disturbances such as frequent under the Species at Risk Act. in the boreal forest. At different times forest fires – an essential and normal The Species at Risk Act (SARA) is Canada’s endangered species legislation. of the year boreal caribou will utilize forest renewal process. Fires destroy Introduced in 2003, the purposes of SARA are: “to prevent wildlife species from shady evergreen forests with tall old the lichens that caribou require for being extirpated or becoming extinct, to provide for the recovery of wildlife trees, islands in lakes or bogs and open nourishment and replace older boreal species that are extirpated, endangered or threatened as a result of human activity and to manage species of special concern to prevent them from rock ridges thick with lichens – a critical forest with a regenerating young becoming endangered or threatened.”4 food source for caribou. forest that has harder and Their movements are most deeper snow cover and more Enacted with much fanfare, on the ground SARA is a different story. Over the last 14 years, the legislation has been plagued by lengthy and often based upon predator predators. Recent research in unlawful delays in recovery planning, political interference, grossly inadequate avoidance. northern Saskatchewan has identification and protection of critical habitat,5 and serious delays in the listing In undisturbed boreal shown that boreal caribou 6 of species at risk. regions, small herds of five can handle significant natural Additionally, SARA applies automatically to just a small sub-group of species at to 25 animals are sprinkled forest disturbance without risk that the federal government considers to be under its jurisdiction7, leaving through immense expanses a resulting population the vast majority of land-based species at risk in Canada struggling under a of old coniferous forests, decline – as long as there patchwork quilt of weak provincial or territorial regulations and laws. with several herds living aren’t additional human in a common geographic disturbances.10 8 area, referred to as a range. Photo: Lichen in caribou The challenge for caribou These large spaces are key, as habitat (Eric Reder). comes when a clearcut or boreal caribou enhance their chances a roadway destroys their habitat. A of survival by putting space between young forest provides leafy saplings themselves and predators.9 and tasty young trees that are inviting When a female caribou is ready to to deer and moose. Additional clearing give birth, she leaves the herd and and road construction from industrial secludes herself on a remote island in a activity and the increased population bog or lake to keep predators away from of these other entices the newborn calf for the crucial first predators like to move in. This few weeks of life. Boreal caribou have leads to increased predation of caribou. a lower reproduction rate than other Given the biological traits that members of the deer family – known as limit caribou numbers and make ungulates – taking several years to reach them vulnerable to elevated levels breeding age and only ever giving birth of predation, human-caused habitat

Photos: Crossbill (Glen and Rebecca Grambo), Small white Lady’s-slipper (Mike Grandmaison), to a single calf at a time. destruction is their greatest threat. Mountain caribou (Roberta Olenick), Wolverine (Glen and Rebecca Grambo).

The caribou family

In 1961, native caribou living in North America were divided into four subspecies: barren-ground, woodland, Peary, and Grant’s. A fifth caribou subspecies, Photo: Mountain caribou, Canadian Rockies (John E. Marriott). Dawson’s caribou, was already extinct. In 2011, the Committee on the Status of Caribou lands Historic Distribution of Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) undertook Caribou the daunting task of a deeper investigation in canada Approximate Northern into caribou classifications in order to Boundary of Large Industrial facilitate management and recovery Tenures across the Provinces efforts. COSEWIC now lists 12 Designatable (from 2010, includes Oil&Gas, Tar Sands, Coal, Forestry and Units in Canada, including three separate 0 250 500 km Mining Permits & Leases) mountain caribou groups (southern, central and northern), Peary, Gaspesie, AK Caribou Designatable Units barren-ground, and boreal caribou. Four of (USA) these are protected under SARA.11 In 2016, Southern Mountain COSEWIC recommended that barren- Boreal ground caribou be listed as threatened All Other Caribou and Torngat caribou as endangered, as Designatable Units these once mighty herds have suffered YT serious declines.12

NWT NU

Labrador

NFLD BC AB MB QC SK ON PEI NB NS

USA

Photos: Barren-ground caribou, Woodland caribou (Roberta Olenick). the human threat to caribou Wolves pay the price

oreal caribou once lived in remains of the caribou forests. lthough we know that the Bevergreen forests across Boreal caribou need old forests Adestruction and fragmentation much of North America, even rich with lichen to survive and it's of caribou habitat has been the stretching down into Minnesota these same forests that logging primary reason for their dramatic and in the US. Today, companies target. Unfortunately, the population decline,14 governments they have disappeared from much industry is very reluctant to relinquish are averse to protecting adequate of their original forest range and their commercial interests in boreal habitat and thereby ruffling populations can only be found caribou habitat. In fact, in 2015, the industry feathers. further north. Forest Industries Association Rather than safeguarding It is the human-caused (OFIA) – which includes Weyerhauser caribou forests in a timely manner, disturbances which pose the and Resolute Forest Products as they have promoted barbaric and greatest threat to this distinguished members – challenged the need to extreme “recovery” measures, animal. As development has preserve boreal caribou,13 ignoring among them predator culls. Photo: Wild in Canadian Rockies (John E. Marriott). pushed into the remote boreal scientific consensus that has existed Both the and BC forest in a hunt for resources, and to for decades. governments have undertaken Although there is evidence that a lesser extent recreation, caribou controversial wolf and predator culls fewer wolves is beneficial to caribou have declined and disappeared. as a supposed means to protect populations, a 2014 study in the The largest footprint on their dwindling caribou populations. BC Canadian Journal of Zoology found habitat is from industry. Oil and government scientists have admitted that Alberta’s wolf cull “failed to gas seismic lines in Alberta, mining that the aerial and killing of achieve any improvement in boreal exploration in Quebec, hydro wolves is “inhumane.”15 And there is woodland caribou adult female transmission corridors in Manitoba, yet another reason to oppose these survival, or any improvement in calf and logging activity across the controversial predator culls: they survival, and as such had no effect on country are disturbing what little don’t work. population dynamics.”16

climate impacts Like all Canadian wildlife, boreal caribou also need protection from the worsening impact of climate change. As the world warms, animals move to respond to shifts in temperature, precipitation, and the arrival of other species. Caribou will need even more space to adapt to their changing habitat, so that they can find their place in an increasingly altered forest. To save this at-risk species, we need to protect more forest habitat to give them a fighting chance to survive climate change. Photos: Hydro lines through caribou habitat (John E. Marriott), Tar sands in Alberta (Garth Lenz). Photo: Mountain caribou bull (Robert McCaw).

Endangered southern mountain caribou Forest Protection Needed Years ago, mountain caribou extended south of the Canadian border into the United States. However, as resource extraction expanded, cientists recognize that the most have been decimated for oil and gas the caribou’s range has contracted steadily northward and in many Simportant thing species at risk exploration. Today, the Little Smoky areas these caribou are now struggling to survive. Nowhere is this need is the protection of their habitat: caribou range has only five per cent struggle more apparent than with the southern mountain caribou the places where they travel, forage, undisturbed forest.21 Nearly all of the population, who are found in the old-growth forests of southeastern 17 reproduce and raise their young. caribou ranges in Alberta as well as BC. Today, these caribou have almost disappeared completely from the continental US, except in the very northeastern part of and The 2012 federal recovery strategy northeastern BC are in dire straights the far north of . SARA has listed them as endangered in Canada. for boreal caribou takes some first steps because of industrial development. The southern mountain caribou are old-growth specialists whose towards applying good science to the The good news is northern winter diet consists almost entirely of lichens that grow on older trees. survival and recovery of Saskatchewan, eastern Unfortunately, as logging companies have targeted the old-growth this species. It notes that Manitoba and the northern forests that the southern mountain caribou rely on for nourishment and at least 65 per cent of each parts of Ontario and Quebec protection, their numbers have declined from roughly 2,500 animals in local caribou population’s all have boreal caribou 1995 to just 1,540 today.18 boreal forest habitat must ranges that could maintain (Check out our film on mountain caribou at: be intact for them to have their populations – as long https://vimeo.com/205445075) even a moderate chance as we prevent any further of survival.19 In reality, the forest disturbance. recovery strategy science For ranges where shows 80 per cent of industrial activity is boreal caribou forest persisting, the future is needs to be undisturbed uncertain. to give caribou an 80 per Due to forest disturbances cent chance of survival. Photo: Black spruce found in boreal from human activity, as well forests (All Canada Photos). Even with this as the natural process of conservative recommendation, many fire, caribou need to have new adjacent of the boreal caribou ranges across forest to call home. This habitat is an Canada have far less intact area essential component of keeping boreal remaining. Unfortunately, provincial caribou on the land. Planning for where and territorial governments have been caribou are now and where they need to reluctant to set aside habitat for caribou go in 25 years means we need to leave a for fear of alienating resource-extraction large part of our remaining boreal forest industries. And the federal government undisturbed. has been hesitant to intervene, A moratorium on all new although the powers of SARA allow development in undisturbed them to do just that.20 boreal forest is essential now if we Photos: West Moberly mountain caribou (Isabelle Groc), Ancient western cedar forest (Don Johnston), Mountain caribou (Terry Parker). The most horrific habitat stories are are to protect caribou for future found in Alberta, where boreal forests generations. BC caves to industry Power is with the Feds, pressure Actions are with the Provinces The BC government recently announced it will spend $27 million n October 2012, the federal attempting to meet their range The science in the recovery 26 over three years to “enhance” Igovernment, under intense plan targets. strategy states that for boreal recovery of the 51 woodland pressure from environmental groups •• Quebec has promised protection caribou to have an 80 per cent caribou populations in the such as the Wilderness Committee for 90 per cent of intact northern chance of survival, they need 80 per 22 province. This may sound like good as well as tens of thousands of forests but little action for the cent of each caribou population's news, but there is a danger that the Canadians, produced a recovery at-risk boreal caribou ranges in habitat undisturbed. It is time to focus will continue to be on the 27 unethical and unsuccessful wolf cull strategy for boreal caribou under logging country. demand that the federal government 24 and a maternal penning program SARA. The plan required the •• Ontario has published a great deal ensures all provinces and territories rather than habitat protection. provinces to create range plans for of information regarding boreal take strong action to protect the This concern was supported by a each boreal caribou range in their caribou since 2012, but they have habitat – and the future – of Canada’s Freedom of Information request the jurisdiction, delaying action for also weakened their provincial boreal caribou. Wilderness Committee received in another five years. endangered species legislation the fall of 2015, which confirmed Now with the five-year deadline recently to allow for boreal caribou that logging companies didn’t want 28 looming in October, some provinces habitat destruction. references to forgo harvesting opportunities 1. “Designatable Units for Caribou (Ranger tarandus) in Canada.” inside caribou habitat. have begun to act. Others lag far •• BC – a province with no provincial Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. behind in protecting caribou habitat endangered species legislation 2011. http://bit.ly/2lZbXsq A government briefing note 2. “Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou (Rangifer as required.25 – appears more concerned with tarandus caribou), Boreal population, in Canada.” Species at Risk prepared for the BC Environment Act Recovery Strategy Series. Environment and Climate Change Here’s how the provinces are promoting opportunities for Canada. 2012. http://bit.ly/2mn0wvD Minister on the caribou recovery 3. “Range Plan Guidance for Woodland Caribou, Boreal plan stated: "Actions within the doing so far: industry than setting aside enough Population.” Species at Risk Act: Policies and Guidelines Series. Environment and Climate Change Canada. 2016. MCRIP [Mountain Caribou Recovery •• Alberta, where caribou forest has habitat to give the caribou even a http://bit.ly/2mDRVAQ Implementation Plan] have largely 29 4. “Species at Risk Act.” Justice Laws Website. 2002. been the most disturbed, has laid moderate chance of recovery. http://bit.ly/2lNc5uN been implemented with the 5. out the strongest actions and is •• Manitoba, one of the major Critical habitat is the habitat required for a species at risk to exception of effectively managing survive and recover. laggards, has refused to 6. “Canada’s Species at Risk Act: Implementation at a Snail’s wolf populations. Industry has Pace.” David Suzuki Foundation. April 2009. http://bit.ly/2l5Zx2O criticized government for failing to even attempt to meet 7. “Species at Risk Registry FAQ.” Public Registry. 2017. 30 http://bit.ly/2mxphSB effectively implement this recovery their deadlines. 8. “Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou.” (Footnote #2). action and will be very reluctant 9. Hummel, Monte and Justina C. Ray. Caribou and the North: A If the provinces and Shared Future. 2008. http://bit.ly/2lQxW4j to forgo additional harvesting territories don’t do the 10. Philip D. McLoughlin et al. “Population dynamics and critical opportunities to meet any habitat of woodland caribou in the Saskatchewan Boreal right thing by October, Shield. Interim Project Report.” Dept. of Biology. University of additional habitat targets imposed Saskatchewan. 2013-2016. http://bit.ly/2lNEQY3 23 only strong federal 11. “Designatable Units for Caribou (Ranger tarandus) in Canada.” by the federal recovery strategy.” Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. action will ensure caribou 2011. http://bit.ly/2lZbXsq Within months of this note being 12. survive. “Caribou, Monarch butterflies: Canada’s iconic migrants at issued, the government began the grave risk.” Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Photo: Woodland caribou (Wayne Lynch). Canada. 2017. http://bit.ly/2mxAy5s wolf cull. 13. “Counting Caribou.” Republic of Mining. Jun. 22, 2015. http://bit.ly/2m4B0dY 14. “Species at Risk: Woodland Caribou - Southern Mountain population.” Parks Canada. 2014. http://bit.ly/1VJ5IEs 15. Parr, Sadie and Paul Paquet. “B.C. government scientists admit wolf cull is inhumane, then propose to expand it.” National Observer. Feb. 1, 2017. http://bit.ly/2jIjqYd 16. Paquet, Dr. Paul. “Wolf and caribou management backgrounder.” Raincoast Conservation Foundation. Feb. 7, 2015. http://bit.ly/2mxK3BH 17. “ Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou, Southern Mountain population (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in Canada [Proposed].” Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series. TAKE ACTION Environment and Climate Change Canada. Pg 5. 2014. http://bit.ly/2mxMVyD 18. “Southern Mountain Caribou.” BC Ministry of Environment. TWO FOR THE ‘BOU! http://bit.ly/2lsxPcC 19. “Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou.” (Footnote #2). 20. Sean Nixon et al. “Failure to Protect: Grading Canada’s Species Please write to the Prime Minster of Canada and let him know that we at Risk Law.” EcoJustice. Pg 8. 2012. http://bit.ly/2mHXwpA 1 21. “Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou.” (Footnote #2). need concrete action to protect boreal caribou – as required under the 22. “B.C. commits $27 million to enhance caribou recovery” [Press Species at Risk Act – rather than more delays. Remind him that the federal release]. Government of . Feb. 1, 2017. http://bit.ly/2kX3eDt government must ensure the provinces implement strong action plans to 23. Hume, Mark. “Documents indicate B.C. wolf cull linked to protect boreal caribou and their boreal forest home by October 2017. forest industry concerns.” The Globe and Mail. Oct. 25, 2015. https://tgam.ca/1XtM8Ld Office of the Prime Minister 24. “Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou.” (Footnote #2). 25. “Range Plan Guidance for Woodland Caribou, Boreal 80 Wellington Street Population.” (Footnote #3). Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2 Photo: Boreal woodland caribou 26. Denhoff, Eric. “Setting Alberta on the Path to Caribou (Wayne Lynch). Recovery.” Government of Alberta Climate Change Office. May 30, 2016. http://bit.ly/2l8XdrU 27. “Boreal Forest – A credible, acceptable, reasonable action plan for woodland caribou habitat conservation” [Press release]. Write to your provincial and territorial government and let them know that they must produce strong Québec Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks. April 5, 2016. 2 action plans to protect boreal caribou and their boreal forest home, and they need to do it now. http://bit.ly/2lTG1DB 28. “Ontario’s endangered species deserve better!” Ontario You can visit our website to get the contact information for your provincial or territorial Nature. 2010-2016. http://bit.ly/2mHR8yU 29. Ritchie, Chris. “Boreal Caribou Habitat Restoration.” BC Ministry government at: wildernesscommittee.org/premiercontacts of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. March 2012. http://bit.ly/2mC0DjF 30. “Conserving a Boreal Icon: Manitoba’s Boreal Woodland Caribou Recovery Strategy.” Government of Manitoba Ministry of WildernessCommittee.org • 1-800-661-WILD (9453) Sustainable Development. 2015. http://bit.ly/2mI8ADu credits Writing: Eric Reder, Gwen Barlee. I WILL DEFEND Editing: Rumnique Nannar, Beth Clarke. Art Director: Sue Fox. Graphic Designer: Perry Jack. YES! CANADA'S CARIBOU Mapping: Geoff Senichenko. Wilderness Committee, Vol.36, No.2, 2017. 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