The Prince George Citizen

Nature Trust buys property to protect Caribou

- Citizen staff

The Nature Trust of British Columbia says it has purchased privately-owned land near Mackenzie in the name of protecting a herd of woodland caribou.

The herd of about 50 animals typically congregate­s on the 245-hectare (605-acre) Kennedy Siding property, southeast of the community 186 km north of Prince George, from October to January where they feed on their main food source, terrestria­l lichens, until the snow gets too deep.

From there, they move into forested portions of their winter range area, where the snow is lighter.

The property is completely surrounded by Crown land designated as ungulate winter range, adding up to about 2,900 hectares (7,165 acres).

“Based on monitoring of radiocolla­red caribou, we know that about 20 per cent of the low elevation winter range use of Kennedy Siding caribou occurs on the property,” Dr. Dale Seip, a wildlife ecologist at the B.C. Ministry of Environmen­t and Climate Change Strategy, said in a statement issued Wednesday.

“Acquisitio­n of this land, in combinatio­n with the surroundin­g provincial ungulate winter range, now ensures that the entire low elevation winter range of this

“Threatened caribou herd will be protected and managed as caribou habitat.”

Moose, elk, mule deer, black bear, grey wolf and grizzly bear have all been confirmed in the immediate area of the Kennedy Siding property. Woodland caribou are listed as a threatened species by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.

“We are proud to add the Kennedy Siding property to the more than 71,000 hectares (175,000 acres) of vulnerable habitat we protect and care for across this province,” Nature Trust of BC CEO Jasper Lament said in the statement. “It is a win for this population of threatened caribou in B.C. and an example of what is possible when conservati­on partners work together.”

 ?? HANDOUT PHOTO BY DALE SEIP ?? Woodland caribou, seen here in a grove of trees, will get further protection with the purchase of privately-owned land southeast of Mackenzie by Nature Trust of B.C.
HANDOUT PHOTO BY DALE SEIP Woodland caribou, seen here in a grove of trees, will get further protection with the purchase of privately-owned land southeast of Mackenzie by Nature Trust of B.C.

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