Newfoundland reports "startling" loss of woodland caribou

Feb 11, 2008

For a while, the Newfoundland island population of Woodland caribou was the only population in all of Canada that could be considered relatively healthy.

No longer.  Woodland 'bou populations on the Rock are in a “startling” decline according to Hon. Minister Charlene Johnson, and the provincial government is taking notice.  While that's good news, their focus is on increased hunting of black bears (one of the caribous' chief predators), not on the underlying problem of habitat loss.  

Say the CPAWSers at our Newfoundland chapter:

It is great to see the province put caribou protection high on the list of wildlife protection priorities on the island of Newfoundland. We at CPAWSNL believe action should be swift to support a diminishing caribou population by all means possible. While some people believe the black bear predation is one of the main reasons for the loss of woodland caribou, we should always remember that the primary cause of species decline is fragmentation and destruction of habitat.

But even a predator-free Newfoundland won't ensure the survival of caribou if their habitat isn't protected.  –Newfoundland should support a review of the status of the Newfoundland island population by the Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Canada in light of this new information!

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