A remnant herd of caribou in eastern Canada
faces a grave threat from a surprising source: backcountry skiers. The
endangered woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) live atop the snowy
mountains of Gaspésie National Park, near the mouth of the St. Lawrence River
in southern Quebec province in Canada. Over the past 30 years, this population
has shrunk by 63%—to just about 70 animals—as a result of increased predation
by coyotes and black bears, as well as competition for food with growing
numbers of moose and deer. Hikers and skiers are allowed on most of the
mountains in Gaspésie National Park. But the resident caribou appear unwilling
to share their slopes with tourists: The presence of just six
skiers at the
summit was enough
to send the animals scurrying down to lower
elevations,
where they face a far greater risk of predation by coyotes, researchers report
in the current issue of Biological Conservation.
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