Mountain Caribou
Mountain caribou are the most endangered mammal in the country.
- A lone woodland caribou in the Idaho Selkirks. Photo by Jerry Pavia.
Mountain caribou are the most endangered mammal in the country. At last count, only 43 caribou remained in the International Herd, between Nelson, British Columbia and Sandpoint, Idaho. Historical accounts indicate that mountain caribou once thrived as far south as the Selway River.
Caribou are gentle ungulates with dinner plate-sized hooves that allow them to travel more easily than deer or moose through deep snow. During the winter months, caribou move up to the timberline where they can avoid threats from predators. They survive by feeding on lichens, which grow upon old-growth fir and spruce trees.
While the loss of old-growth forests and habitat fragmentation were once the primary threats to mountain caribou survival and recovery, a much newer threat looms. The growing use of powerful snowmobiles has added to the list of threats mountain caribou face.
The Fish and Wildlife Service has issued a draft plan to protect habitat deemed "critical" for the recovery and survival of caribou.
You can add your name to the growing list of people supporting the Fish and Wildlife Service plan by signing our petition.
