Woodland Caribou powerpoint

1. WOODLAND
CARIBOU
an endangered species
Siri Gusdal
English 10-1
Oct. 24

2. ABOUT THE
ANIMALS
The scientific name for Woodland caribou is
Rangier Tarandus caribou.
There are two distinct subspecies of Caribou in
Canada-the Woodland caribou and the Peary
caribou.
Woodland caribou live for 10-15 years.
They weigh between 110 to 210 kg and are about
.85 to 1.5 m high at the shoulder.
An estimate of their population in Canada is 1.5
million.
Woodland caribou in Canada can now only be
found in the boreal forests and the mountains of
Alberta and southeastern BC.
Caribou cows usually only have one calf each
spring and they find calving grounds in remote,
isolated areas.

3. THREATS
Habitat loss: One of the main reasons Woodland Caribou is endangered is that they run
out of places to live. From logging and deforestation, the forests in which they have
always lived are being destroyed.
Climate change: The lichen that they depend upon for a large portion of their diet is
being affected by the changes of the moisture in the air, caused by global warming.
Poaching: Hunting Woodland Caribou is now illegal, but poachers have fairly easy
access to them because of roads built for gas exploration and logging.
Predators: Part of the caribou’s survival plan is avoiding living in places densely
populated with other prey, making the area more appealing to predators. They tend to
settle down in remote places with severe weather conditions. By carving paths with
snowmobiles and other vehicles into more remote areas, humans are making it easier
for predators to access the already dwindling population of caribou.

4. WHY CARIBOU
ARE IMPORTANT
Caribou have been a vibrant part of Canada’s vast
natural landscape for thousands of years. The
Boreal Woodland caribou herds share land with
approximately 300 First Nation communities. For
many of these groups, these caribou have many
different meanings: as food, as spiritual ancestor, as
a gift from the creator, as a totem spirit and as a
neighbour. Boreal Woodland caribou are a key
indicator species for the boreal region and seeing
that they are endangered is not a good sign for
them, or the health of the eco-system where they
live. By protecting caribou’s remaining habitat in
Canada, we are protecting our health and slowing
the effects of climate change.

5. SOLUTIONS
Environmental organizations are working to restore the caribou population. The
federal and provincial governments will need to work to protect their habitat by
using the best available science, however, there are smaller things anyone can
do that will help in the long run to protect the Woodland caribou:
Become educated on Canada’s environmental needs. Learn about the plights
of caribou and other animals alike and give to non-profit organizations that
help protect Canada’s boreal forests and it’s inhabitants.
Use less fuel. Don’t drive if it is not necessary. The more fuel you use, the
farther oil and gas companies will go into the caribou’s habitat in search of
more, not to mention building roads that give easy access to the caribou’s
main predators: wolves.
Use less paper, and when you do, use only 100% post consumer waste
paper. The less paper you use, the less trees are cut down.

6. “All the universe is full of the lives of perfect
creatures.”
-Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY
"Boreal Woodland Caribou." David Suzuki Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2016.
Carr, By Deborah. "Woodland Caribou." Nature Canada. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2016.
"Caribou and You." CPAWS. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2016.
"Cultural and Ecological Value of Boreal Woodland Caribou Habitat." Cultural and Ecological Value of Boreal Woodland Caribou Habitat (
"NYC - AMNH: Hall of North American Mammals - Grant Caribou." Flickr. Yahoo!, n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2016.
"Species at Risk." Parks Canada. N.p., 23 Dec. 2014. Web. 20 Oct. 2016.