British Columbia: Inland Temperate Rainforest And The Mountain Caribou
Many animals can move their habitats when bulldozers arrive unannounced, tearing apart the wilderness for resources or yet another suburb. However, there are a few species that have found co-habitating with humans to be a bit more difficult due to environmental requirements for their survival.
The Mountain Caribou, a close relative to the more famous Woodland Caribou - both of the deer family, are one such species that have found it difficult to survive man"s constant encroachment into their territory. Parks Canada stated, "Canadian populations of woodland caribou are listed under Canada"s Species at Risk Act (SARA) as Endangered (Atlantic-Gaspsie), Threatened (Southern Mountain and Boreal), and Special Concern (Northern Mountain)."
The only species of caribou not on the list are found in Newfoundland and Labrador. The west coast of Canada"s Mountain Caribou (Southern Mountain region), population is listed as "Threatened" by Parks Canada and, they are so concerned with the possibility of extinction that they have deemed it necessary to take action now, "Ahead of a formal recovery strategy, Parks Canada has implemented caribou conservation actions in the Mountain National Parks."
Spring and summer afford the Mountain Caribou a wide range of herbs and foliage to graze on but throughout the winter they sustain themselves on lichen, found primarily in old growth forests deep in the mountainous regions of British Columbia. These prehistoric forests are generally found on the fringes of our most recently developed suburbs of Vancouver, and if Enbridge has it"s way there will be a pipeline through the Caribou"s migrational range as soon as possible. Untouched wilderness large enough to provide a low stress environment, vital for the survival of the Caribou is becoming difficult to come by, due to logging and other forms of proposed development such as ski resorts, energy pipelines, logging and the roads required to move the timber.
Man has encroached onto the ancient lands of the Mountain Caribou to such an extent that in 2013 there are only 1900 are left, down from a 2002 estimate of 7200 in the Southern Mountain region, which includes British Columbia. The situation is dire because their population is decreasing at an alarming rate. Mountain Caribou makes it"s seasonal migration to the higher elevations, feeding on the lichen. It is the increased elevation which reduces the number of potential predators and increases their chances of survival as does the fact that they constantly roam. It"s the roaming that requires them to have such a large range. And, if their environment is compromised it can be a devastating disruption to their ability to reproduce causing stress with regards to finding a reliable food supply and a safe place to raise their young.
Our idea of modern progress kills the Mountain Caribou. Logging, and pretty much any kind of development - including building roads, removes the old growth forests in areas that didn"t have any other competitive species like deer and elk prior to the destruction, but afterwards the new growth of bushes and grasses attracts these newcomers and other uninvited guests.
Accompanying the deer and elk are predators that the Mountain Caribou is usually able to avoid by grazing in locations that are too challenging to the predators. Also, activities like snowmobiling, heli-skiing also disrupts their habitat and consequently their population"s ability to survive.
Now it comes down to decisions. Do we put the environment first or business first? Sadly only Canada can save this dying species from extinction because they are already gone in the US. It is of the utmost importance to save them and the old growth forests they depend on since it is the only place in the world where these caribou are found to exist. We must ask ourselves two vital questions. Will we have any regrets if this beautiful animal never roams the inland temperate rainforest again? And, what other species will be next on the Extinct List because of the absence of the Mountain Caribou in the food chain?
The Mountain Caribou, a close relative to the more famous Woodland Caribou - both of the deer family, are one such species that have found it difficult to survive man"s constant encroachment into their territory. Parks Canada stated, "Canadian populations of woodland caribou are listed under Canada"s Species at Risk Act (SARA) as Endangered (Atlantic-Gaspsie), Threatened (Southern Mountain and Boreal), and Special Concern (Northern Mountain)."
The only species of caribou not on the list are found in Newfoundland and Labrador. The west coast of Canada"s Mountain Caribou (Southern Mountain region), population is listed as "Threatened" by Parks Canada and, they are so concerned with the possibility of extinction that they have deemed it necessary to take action now, "Ahead of a formal recovery strategy, Parks Canada has implemented caribou conservation actions in the Mountain National Parks."
Spring and summer afford the Mountain Caribou a wide range of herbs and foliage to graze on but throughout the winter they sustain themselves on lichen, found primarily in old growth forests deep in the mountainous regions of British Columbia. These prehistoric forests are generally found on the fringes of our most recently developed suburbs of Vancouver, and if Enbridge has it"s way there will be a pipeline through the Caribou"s migrational range as soon as possible. Untouched wilderness large enough to provide a low stress environment, vital for the survival of the Caribou is becoming difficult to come by, due to logging and other forms of proposed development such as ski resorts, energy pipelines, logging and the roads required to move the timber.
Man has encroached onto the ancient lands of the Mountain Caribou to such an extent that in 2013 there are only 1900 are left, down from a 2002 estimate of 7200 in the Southern Mountain region, which includes British Columbia. The situation is dire because their population is decreasing at an alarming rate. Mountain Caribou makes it"s seasonal migration to the higher elevations, feeding on the lichen. It is the increased elevation which reduces the number of potential predators and increases their chances of survival as does the fact that they constantly roam. It"s the roaming that requires them to have such a large range. And, if their environment is compromised it can be a devastating disruption to their ability to reproduce causing stress with regards to finding a reliable food supply and a safe place to raise their young.
Our idea of modern progress kills the Mountain Caribou. Logging, and pretty much any kind of development - including building roads, removes the old growth forests in areas that didn"t have any other competitive species like deer and elk prior to the destruction, but afterwards the new growth of bushes and grasses attracts these newcomers and other uninvited guests.
Accompanying the deer and elk are predators that the Mountain Caribou is usually able to avoid by grazing in locations that are too challenging to the predators. Also, activities like snowmobiling, heli-skiing also disrupts their habitat and consequently their population"s ability to survive.
Now it comes down to decisions. Do we put the environment first or business first? Sadly only Canada can save this dying species from extinction because they are already gone in the US. It is of the utmost importance to save them and the old growth forests they depend on since it is the only place in the world where these caribou are found to exist. We must ask ourselves two vital questions. Will we have any regrets if this beautiful animal never roams the inland temperate rainforest again? And, what other species will be next on the Extinct List because of the absence of the Mountain Caribou in the food chain?
