To the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada, Julie Dabrusin,
We, the undersigned, are writing to urge you to take immediate action to protect southern mountain caribou from local extinction.
Southern mountain caribou are an iconic species here in Canada. Yet, in the last 20 years, 8 of the 18 southernmost herds have already gone locally extinct. Every year that passes without action brings us closer to losing this iconic species forever.
The Species at Risk Act was created to prevent species from being driven to extinction. The federal government has a legal responsibility to identify and protect the critical habitat this caribou needs to survive and recover. The B.C. government has already developed the maps for you in 2020, which could easily be incorporated into the federal recovery strategy.
These caribou rely on old growth for survival. These forests have rich ecosystems and old tree stands that provide abundant food sources and shelter they need to thrive. When these forests fall, caribou habitat is fragmented, and herds disappear.
Using our satellite monitoring tool, Forest Eye, we’ve documented logging in 103 hectares of southern mountain caribou habitat in the past year alone. While we watch trees fall and roads being built, thousands more hectares of forests remain under consideration for new logging approvals.
We cannot afford to wait until populations decline further before taking action. Therefore, we urge you to:
- Complete the mapping of all critical habitat for southern mountain caribou without further delay.
- Ensure critical habitat receives the protection required under SARA.
- Work collaboratively with Indigenous Nations, provinces, and local communities to implement and enforce effective recovery measures.
Canadians expect strong leadership in the face of the biodiversity crisis, and you have the opportunity to leave a long-lasting legacy by protecting southern mountain caribou.
We urge you to act now.
