The mountain caribou is an icon of Canada’s abundant natural heritage. Represented on the Canadian quarter since 1937, its image is known to virtually every man, woman and child across the country.

Mountain caribou are related to woodland caribou. But they are what scientists call a “unique ecotype”, because of their unique dependence on the old-growth forests found on steep mountain ranges, where they rely on tree lichens for winter food.

A full 95% of the remaining mountain caribou that remain in the world are found only here in British Columbia, with the remainder extending south into the United States and eastward into Alberta. And they are at risk of disappearing. Mountain caribou numbers have plummeted from about 2,500 animals in 1997 to 1,900 today. That’s a steep drop of 24% in just ten years. Some herds have as few as 2 individuals left. Virtually all of this decline is due to habitat destruction through logging, road building, mining,  and flooding from dams. The dramatic increase in motorized backcountry commercial recreation, like snowmobiling, heli, and cat skiing has added a substantial stress to caribou.

In the US, mountain caribou are protected under the US Endangered Species Act. In BC, they are “red-listed” (equivalent to “endangered”) by the Conservation Data Centre, and in Canada they are listed as “threatened”. But none of these designations ensure that mountain caribou habitat is protected from logging and other destructive activities. Without such protection, mountain caribou will disappear forever.