Caring for caribou is a matter of urgency By Dr. David Suzuki with Dr. Faisal Moola

Caring for caribou is a matter of urgency

By Dr. David Suzuki with Dr. Faisal Moola

http://www.borealbirds.org/blog/?p=137

You may have a caribou in your pocket. This important Canadian icon has appeared on our 25-cent coin since 1936. It would be a tragedy if this were the only place you could spot this magnificent animal, though.

If we don't protect Canada's boreal forest, that could be the result. The boreal forest extends like a green halo over 35 per cent of our northern land mass. Stretching from Newfoundland to the Yukon, it forms the largest uninterrupted intact forest left on the planet.

[...]

Caribou are not only well-loved symbols of Canada's identity and a source of national pride; they are also a key indicator of the health of boreal forest ecosystems. When woodland caribou populations start to decline, it's a sure sign that the forests they inhabit are not faring well. A recent scientific report commissioned by the federal government under the Species at Risk Act has found that the animal is in trouble right across the country.

This doesn't bode well for the ecological health of the boreal region.

[...]

Here are a few links if you would like to learn more about the David Suzuki Foundation and caribou:

Take David Suzuki's Nature Challenge and learn more at http://www.davidsuzuki.org/.

Information about boreal woodland caribou:
http://www.caribouandyou.ca/

Caribou Science Report:
http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/document/default_e.cfm?documentID=1761

Analysis of the Caribou Science Report:
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Conservation/Endangered_Species/Canada/Caribou.asp