The caribou conservation strategy planned for next June has not yet been released, but experts predict that Quebec’s forest industry will exacerbate the herd decline.
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The latest statistics released this week show that the Gaspésie’s caribou population has declined by nearly 80% over the past 15 years. The herd would only consist of 33 animals.
The decline also continues in North-du-Québec and the north coast, with the exception of the Caniapiscau sector, where the elk population is increasing.
Photo Katia Bussiere
In the Gaspésie, Nord-du-Québec and Côte-Nord regions, caribou populations continue to decline. In the photo, caribou on the top of Mont-Albert in the Gaspésie National Park.
The Department of Environment, Climate Change Mitigation, Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP) plans to present its Forest and Mountain Caribou Strategy in summer 2023.
However, populations of these species will remain threatened, according to a ministry official who has studied the iconic animal for 27 years.
Ecologically sustainable operation
“The environment ministry, especially the current minister, doesn’t have the backbone to go to the Council of Ministers and say that nature also needs to be protected. I believe there will be protected areas, but likely they will be at the top of the commercial tree line. It is the economic activity that takes precedence over the others,” says Serge Couturier.
According to the independent consultant, conservation of forest caribou and Gaspésie caribou is only possible if environmentally sustainable forest management is implemented in Quebec for the first time. This is also the title of his dissertation submitted in May 2022.
“I don’t expect anything good from the strategy. With 30 or 34 caribou remaining in the Gaspé, there aren’t many ways to save them. The cause of the drop is logging. The caribou don’t wait for political announcements to cause problems,” says the specialist ironically.
muscle actions claimed
Daniel Fortin, a researcher at the University of Laval, also calls for more muscle action. He recently commissioned a poll showing that two out of three people think the government is not taking enough steps to protect herds.
“It’s an emblematic species. If we can’t protect him, we have to take care of others. If we protect a large area of pristine forest, imagine how many species we will protect at the same time,” adds the biology professor.
In December, Quebec took advantage of the opening of COP15 in Montreal to announce a $650 million investment to ensure 30% of its territory was protected by 2030. Measures to support the caribou will follow in a few months.
“The department is keen to present a strategy and in recent years we have had a more rigorous follow-up programme. Interim measures are already in place. The forthcoming document will be based on scientific evidence,” said Carl Patenaude-Levasseur, director general of regional coordination of wildlife management at the ministry.
— With the collaboration of Marianne White
NORTH OF QUEBEC—NOTTAWAY POPULATION
- In the winter of 2022, 240 individuals were counted in Nottaway’s woodland caribou herd
- 204 could be classified:
– 85 men
– 93 women
– 26 fawns - A total of 39 caribou groups were located and group sizes ranged from 1 to 21 individuals.
- The department estimates the population of woodland caribou in the Nottaway herd at 282 individuals, compared to 308 in 2016.
- The decline in this population is mainly related to the quality of their habitat.
NORTH SHORE—BUSTER POPULATION
- 803 caribou were counted in the winter of 2022.
- These were divided into 67 groups of 1 to 85 people.
- The department estimates that the total number of caribou in the bustard population would range from 803 to 1180 individuals.
- The ministry noted a decrease in the areas southwest and north of the Manicouagan Reservoir compared to 2014. This puts caribou groups at risk of local extinction.
- According to the inventory, the main disturbances to the habitat of this caribou population are logging roads, logging, and burning.
GASPESIE—LOGAN SECTOR
- No caribou were observed.
- Since the 2010s, the Logan Sector caribou have abandoned the mountain ranges in favor of a more forested habitat, making it more difficult to locate individuals by helicopter.
GASPESIE—ALBERT SECTOR
- 7 caribou were counted in autumn 2021:
– 3 males
– 3 females
– 1 deer - The total number of caribou in the Albert Sector has continued to decline since 2010, falling below the 10-individual threshold in 2021.
- Recruitment is a problem in this sector where only one calf has been observed.
- The Gaspésie mountain caribou was listed as a threatened species in Quebec in 2009.
GASPESIE—MCGERRIGLE SECTOR
- 26 caribou were counted in autumn 2021:
– 10 males
– 12 females
– 4 fawns - Since the last inventory, the number of adult caribou has increased while the number of calves has decreased.
- According to the Ministry, the number of caribou in this sector seems to be stable and even slightly increasing after a progressive decline from 2013 to 2016.
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