October 5 came and went, and Canada’s boreal woodland caribou are still in trouble. That was the deadline the federal government gave provinces and territories five years ago to come up with caribou range plans for the iconic animals. Not one met the deadline.
Why should we care about caribou? Beyond the fact that we should care about all animals that play important roles in the ecological makeup of this “super natural” country, caribou are indicators of forest health. When caribou are healthy, it’s a sign the forests they live in are healthy. Forests provide numerous ecological services, such as (Read more…) floods, storing carbon and regulating climate, as well as habitat for animals and plants and livelihoods and resources for people.
Failing to protect caribou habitat affects many Indigenous Peoples’ rights, cultures and traditional livelihoods, and risks tarnishing Canada’s reputation in the global marketplace. U.S. and international customers buy our products on the understanding that we’ll protect wildlife and honour commitments to Indigenous peoples.