Hart & Caribou Mountains RIG Maps

Distribution Map

The map below (Wittmer et al. 2005) shows the current distribution of identified subpopulations (herds) of mountain caribou in British Columbia.  The last 8 herds listed (in bold; pink herd areas on map) are within the Recovery Area for this RIG.

Critical Habitat Map

Critical habitats for the herds were delineated as part of the Recovery Implementation Plan, with the following primary management recommendations: No logging or road building in core caribou habitat.  Manage matrix habitat to maintain habitat  for other ungulates at level that would occur under natural disturbance regime. Directly manage predators and prey until the habitat has recovered to range of natural variability. Click on map thumbnail to view full-size map (pdf, 5.7MB).

Snowmobile Use Areas Map

Working hypothesis: intensive snowmobiling will displace caribou from core habitat.   Recommendation: Identify areas available for snowmobiling, prohibit snowmobiling in all other core caribou habitat. This map shows the snowmobile use areas in mountain caribou habitat in the Hart and Cariboo Mountains recovery area.  Areas in orange are the core caribou habitats where the recovery implementation plan recommends that snowmobiling not be permitted. Click on map thumbnail to view full-size map (pdf, 2.6MB).

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Heliski Closure Areas Map

This map delineates recommended heliski areas and closures relative to core caribou habitats in  the Hart and Cariboo Mountains recovery area.  Areas in purple are the core caribou habitats where the recovery implementation plan recommends that heliskiing not be permitted. Best management practices of heli-ski industry to avoid areas being used by caribou is adequate in areas of low to medium caribou density.  However, heli-skiing should be prohibited in areas of high caribou density. Click on map thumbnail to view full-size map (pdf, 3.5MB).

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References

Wittmer, H.U., B.N. McLellan, D.R. Seip, J.A. Young, T.A. Kinley, G.S. Watts, and D. Hamilton.  2005.  Population dynamics of the endangered mountain ecotype of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in British Columbia, Canada.  Can. J. Zool. 83: 407-418.