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Woodland Caribou Rangifer tarandus caribou
When did they become endangered? The Woodland Caribou were added to Alberta’s endangered species list in 1985. Today there are fewer than 7000 in northern and west-central Alberta.
Who are trying to save the woodland caribou? The Albertan government has a branch (Alberta Environmental Protection, Fish & Wildlife Branch) with the help from oil, gas, and forestry industries are trying to protect the caribou’s habitat and also trying to reduce the wolf population.
Why are they endangered? Loss of habitat because of logging, coal mining, and oil and gas exploration. Moose, deer, and elks population increases when large areas of old- growth coniferous forest are logged. As wolves prey is more plentiful more wolves move in. As caribou are most vulnerable to wolves their population is leased. Legal and illegal hunting go hands in hand with this increased predation are the main reason for the caribous decline in population.
What are the woodland caribou breeding and migration patterns? The Caribou migrate 80km or more between there forested foothills winter range and alpine summer range. The Caribou major food sources are ground and tree lichens it take 80 to 50 years to grow enough lichen for caribou they also eat shrubs, grasses, and willows. Caribou breed in early to mid- October and will often have only one calf in early June. The cow won’t mate or breed in till they are two and a half years old.
