Saving the Mountain Caribou

By Cory DeStein and Kate Stone

Though Bitterroot Audubon members often think about the decline and even extinction of bird species, how often do we pause to consider the plight of mammals? Few people know about or discuss the dire situation facing the mountain caribou. Once common throughout northwest Montana, the mountain caribou is now considered one of North America's most endangered species. In 2019, the continental United States lost its last caribou with the extirpation of the South Selkirk herd, which ranged into northern Idaho and northeast Washington. At the same time, the closest herd to the north in Canada, the Central Selkirk, plummeted to only 24 animals. 

Southern mountain caribou are a unique ecotype of woodland caribou in that they occupy high-elevation, forested areas with deep snowfall. Here, caribou use their large, rounded hooves to 'float' atop the snow, allowing them to feed primarily on arboreal lichen that is out of reach from other species. This trait allows them to spend their winters in areas where other ungulates have migrated to lower elevations, providing a spatial separation from predators. In recent years, habitat loss and fragmentation from development, disturbance from winter recreationists, and changes in predator-prey dynamics have led to a dramatic decline in herd numbers. 

Despite habitat protection from industry, backcountry recreation restrictions, and predator removal, the numbers of the Central Selkirks continue to decline. In 2022, the Arrow Lakes Caribou Society launched its first year of a maternal penning operation. The pen provides cows and calves protection from predators and a boost in nutrition during their critical first six weeks of life. How well has this strategy worked? What other actions are being taken to protect the caribou?Cory DeStein is a wildlife photographer and conservationist in Missoula, Montana. He has strived to document the mountain caribou's story through his photography to inspire others with the same appreciation he has developed for these unique creatures. In addition to his photography, Cory has volunteered on numerous projects dedicated to caribou recovery, including serving as a board member for the Arrow Lakes Caribou Society. 

Please join Cory and members and friends of Bitterroot Audubon to learn more about these grey ghosts of the mountains and the collaborative efforts to save them.

Our meeting will be held at 7 pm on Monday, October in the Education Building adjacent to the Slack Barn at Teller Wildlife Refuge at 1180 Chaffin Lane in Corvallis.