It’s no secret that Jasper’s caribou are in dire straits.
They have been classified as threatened for more than a decade, and they were likely threatened well before that—since it was only the creation of the Species at Risk Act that resulted in their official designation in 2003.
But even with that status looming over our treasured caribou for years, their populations have continued to decline. At last count, there were only five remaining in the Maligne, six in the Brazeau and 30 in the Tonquin, for a total of 41 animals—down from 138 in 2002. And in the A La Peche herd, which straddles the north boundary, travelling in and out of park, there are only 75—down from 170 in 2002.
So it’s no surprise the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has identified Jasper’s Central Mountain Caribou—as well as those living throughout the Rocky Mountains—as endangered.
Now, although the numbers are startling and it’s easy to point fingers at Parks Canada for the rapid decline, it would be unfair to say the agency and its staff have just been sitting back, watching as Jasper’s herds disappear.
There have certainly been efforts to protect these animals, most recently with delayed backcountry access in the Brazeau and A La Peche caribou ranges, to protect caribou from wolves, who are known to use compact ski trails to access caribou in alpine areas.
The Cavell Road has also had delayed access for a number of years, as has the Tonquin Valley, which opens Feb. 15.
Parks has also stopped track setting ski trails in the Maligne Valley and Bald Hills area, to put a stop to easy access for wolves, and it has reduced speed limits on Highway 93, between Poboktan Creek and Beauty Creek, to prevent highway fatalities in an area where caribou are known to graze.
The agency has also developed the Conservation Strategy for Southern Mountain Caribou in Canada’s National Parks. That strategy is now used to guide conservation and recovery actions in Jasper, Banff, Mount Revelstoke and Glacier national parks.
And Parks is also working toward a captive breeding program that will bring young caribou born in a facility at the Calgary Zoo to Jasper, in order to increase the populations of our struggling herds.
But even with a significant focus on these majestic animals, caribou have continued to steadily decline in numbers.
We hope this new designation will provide Parks with the leverage it needs to both continue and increase its conservation efforts, putting caribou first in all of its considerations, whether it’s seasonal closures or development proposals in caribou habitat.
Whatever it takes, now is the time to do it.
