Root for Reindeer this Holiday Season

During the holiday season, it seems befitting to advocate for the preservation of Reindeer, or Caribou as they are known in Canada. Currently Canada has over 2.4 million Caribou, a far cry from historical numbers, and they have been entirely wiped out of some areas of Canada, such as Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Haida Gwaii in BC.

Many subspecies of Caribou are in serious danger of extinction, primarily due to habitat loss and over hunting. The status of Canadian species at risk are assessed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and are designated as Extinct, Extirpated, Endangered, Threatened, or of Special Concern. The Species at Risk Act (SARA) is supposed to protect Canadian species in danger, but it only applies to regions under federal jurisdiction. Additionally, a COSEWIC designation is considered when determining whether to list a species under SARA, but only four of the six Caribou subspecies designated at risk by COSEWIC are on the List of Wildlife Species at Risk.

Sadly, British Columbia has no endangered species legislation at all. Even so, BC is now working on a recovery plan for our Mountain Caribou. This fall, an independent science panel reported to the BC Government and several recovery actions were suggested. Unfortunately, the recommendations highlighted in the BC Government's media release are severely lacking. These potential actions include: culling predators and other ungulates, some of which are also at risk; protecting Caribou habitat from logging and recreational activities, while other activities negatively impacting the Caribou, such as mining, are not mentioned; and damaging the larger herds by relocating members to smaller herds. One glaring omission from this list is the issue of poaching, unless that is included under culling predators (tongue in cheek, of course).

In the United States there are very few Caribou south of our border, but there are 120,000 Barren-ground Porcupine Caribou who migrate between their wintering grounds in Canada and their calving grounds in Alaska. Unfortunately, oil companies are pushing for development in the Porcupine Caribou calving grounds. To bring attention to this threat facing the Porcupine Herd, two amazing Canadians, Karsten Heuer and Leanne Allison, travelled with the Herd for five months on foot from Old Crow, Yukon to the Caribou calving grounds in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge and back. The result is an amazing film titled Being Caribou. The cinematography is breathtaking and this film is a must see.

Help protect North America's remaining Caribou by learning more about their plight and by taking action, because if you're not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. That's what Keeping Down with the Jones' is all about.

• For general information on Caribou, visit Hinterland Who's Who and read their Caribou Mammal Fact Sheet.
• Find out the status of our Caribou by visiting Environment Canada's Canadian Wildlife Service. Unfortunately the Haida Gwaii Woodland Caribou and unlisted Maritime subspecies, are already extinct, but we can still help other subspecies, such as the Endangered Peary Caribou (COSEWIC only) of the far north and the Atlantic Gaspésie Woodland Caribou . Two subspecies of Caribou are listed as Threatened in Canada: the widespread Boreal Woodland Caribou and the Southern Mountain Woodland Caribou of BC and Alberta. Another two subspecies are designated as Species of Special Concern. These are the Dolphin and Union populations of Barren-ground Caribou (COSEWIC only) of the far north and the Northern Mountain Woodland Caribou of northern BC, the Yukon and Northwest Territories.
• Caribou Nation is a great resource to learn about, and to take action to protect, Caribou throughout Canada.
• There are many ways to learn more about the plight of BC's Mountain Caribou and to take action, such as sending emails to Premier Campbell. Visit Conservation Northwest, ForestEthics, Mountain Caribou, Sierra Club of BC, and the Wilderness Committee.
• Visit BC's Integrated Land Management Bureau for the Mountain Caribou Science Team Documents. Read David Suzuki's opinion on the BC Government's Mountain Caribou science team report and their recommended recovery plan actions.
• Sierra Legal Defence Fund provides legal support to environmental and other organizations and are "dedicated to enforcing and strengthening the laws that safeguard our environment, wildlife and public health". They are taking legal action to protect the East Atlin Woodland Caribou Herd of Northwestern BC and the Yukon from a proposed mine in the Taku Watershed.
• Read a recent update on the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society's campaign to protect Alberta's Boreal Forest, a key Woodland Caribou habitat, and find out how to take action.
• The Sierra Club of Canada cares about Alberta's Little Smoky Woodland Caribou Herd. Read their news release and send a letter to US oil giant ConocoPhillips which threatens the Herd's habitat.
• Learn all about Being Caribou. You can buy the book, the film, and even Bean Caribou fair trade organic coffee to raise money to protect the Porcupine Caribou calving grounds in Alaska's National Wildlife Refuge. This site also has a plethora of links to follow.