Causes of Caribou Mortality
Find out what causes mortality of boreal caribou, and what makes the risk of mortality higher.
Introduction
Wolf predation is the primary source of boreal caribou mortality in British Columbia. Other factors such as wolverine predation, poor body condition and human-related activity (e.g., harvest and vehicle collisions) also contribute to adult mortality.
However, site examinations revealed that more than 70% of investigated boreal caribou mortalities in B.C. could be attributed to wolf predation. The majority of these mortalities occurred between April and September coinciding with the spring, calving, and summer seasons.
Understanding the causes of caribou mortality is critical to recovery planning, as common characteristics between sites can be used to identify high risk caribou habitats and landscape features.
The objective of this section is to connect caribou mortality and recovery planning by identifying trends in site characteristics that can be used to recover boreal caribou habitat and populations.
Resources
Mortality Reports
References Cited
[i] Environment Canada. (2012). Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), Boreal population, in Canada. Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series. Environment Canada, Ottawa. xi + 138pp.
[ii] Culling, D.E., and D.B. Cichowski. (2017). Boreal Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in British Columbia: 2017 Science Review. Prepared for the BC Oil and Gas Research and Innovation Society, Victoria, B.C., 141p.
[iii] Latham, A. D. M., Latham, M. C., Knopff, K. H., Hebblewhite, M., & Boutin, S. (2013). Wolves, white‐tailed deer, and beaver: implications of seasonal prey switching for woodland caribou declines. Ecography, 36(12), 1276-1290.
[iv] Culling, D.E. and B.A. Culling. (2016). BC Boreal Caribou Implementation Plan: Year IV (2015-2016) field activities progress report. Prepared for BC Oil and Gas Research and Innovation Society, Victoria, BC. 30p + appendices.
[v] Dyer, S.J., J.P. O’Neill, S.M. Wasel, and S. Boutin. 2001. Avoidance of industrial development by woodland caribou. Journal of Wildlife Management 65(3):531-542.
[vi] Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations (BCIP). 2011. Boreal Caribou Recovery Implementation Plan.